VET'Scorner Red fox on the mend after netting injury


This red fox was admit ted during June because she was found hanging upside down in football net t ing.


When she came to the hospital she was examined by the veterinary team. Only small wounds were found under her f ront legs and she was slight ly dehydrated. She was given f luids and pain relief but didn't seem to need any other init ial treatment .


However, over the following week she had have 3 anaesthet ics and ant ibiot ic treatment because new wounds kept appearing, one wound needed st itching and she had to have a toe amputated.


Animals that get trapped in net t ing can suf fer f rom very severe wounds, which are of ten delayed. The net t ing causes a lot of pressure to the t issue, cut t ing of the blood supply and leading to t issue death - this is called 'pressure necrosis'.


Af ter two weeks of treatment the wounds were almost healehd and she was walking perfect ly and she was f inally signed of f f rom veterinary treatment , .


She joined a group of young foxes that we current ly have in our centre that are due to be released soon.


is rescued f rom the net , so these animals needs to be under prolonged veterinary supervision even if they seem well on admission.


The dead t issue can appear even 10 days af ter the animal


This young fox was very lucky, but we can all help to prevent this by not to leaving loose net t ing lying around when they are not in use.


Heron treated for a broken bone


An injured and weak Grey heron was admit ted to Stapeley Grange on the day of our summer fair. He wasn't standing properly and wasn?t able to f ly, which the vet team were concerned could b due to spinal trauma.


On top of this, the bird?


wounds over both wings over the joints. He was x-rayed, and a healing clavicle (collar bone) f racture was ident if ied - this is an injury we of ten see when birds collide with obstacles in f light . He was given pain-relief and topical ointments were applied to the wing wounds. A heat light was provided in the heron?


in order to help the feathers to dry as quickly as possible and avoid further hypothermia.


s feathers were completely waterlogged and it had some s cubicle, 6


Af ter two days of treatment and support ive care, there was a considerable improvement - the heron was standing and f lapping evenly; and four days of rehabilitat ion later, he was moved to an outside enclosure, with plenty of space to exercise and get fully f it to return to the wild. He was released a week af ter admission.


The l at est news


f r om t he vet t eam at St apel ey Gr ange


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