Two Coyotes Run Free Again

by Traci Hanson, Veterinary Technician 

Thursday was the day.  I woke up earlier that most days and was very excited because two interns, Adam and Constance, and I were going to take two coyotes to be released.

I had been here when each coyote had come in.  The first, a male, had a bullet in his left hip.  We were uncertain if he would ever walk again.  The second, a female and former "pet." 

After each coyote had finished their treatment plans, had gained weight and strength, they were evaluated for release.  I wish that I could have seen the caretaking staff trying to catch and crate them to be transported.  I heard that the coyotes, who are naturally swift, cunning and agile, gave them quite a hard time. 

We loaded the coyotes up and drove the two hours to the designated spot.  It was beautiful.  The native vegetation was green and lush.  The wildflowers were knee high and in an array of colors.  There were two ponds nearby.  The coyotes would have plenty to eat.  The sky was clear and the temperature was mild.  It was paradise.

We unloaded each crate from the truck, and then we moved them to a spot under a tree.  While Constance filmed the release, Adam and I counted to three and opened the doors.  The male coyote darted out.  He will have a permanent gimp in his gait, and I smiled as he ran off.  The female was tentative, but she finally took off into the brush after her friend.  She was as swift as ever.  Again, a smile appeared on my face.  This is where they are meant to be.

As we drove home we were all quiet.  I was thinking about how precious it was to experience this.  I have had people ask me why I do this work, and this is why.  To see native wildlife run uninhibited and to live out their lives on their own.  Free.  

River Cooter Surgery

A large female river cooter was brought to the clinic on the evening of 3/25. She had been found on I-10 in the Kerrville area the previous day. Her rescuers brought her home and allowed her to rest overnight, not sure if she would make it, and in the morning they found her trying to escape from the box they had kept her in. This was hard to believe given that when we did the initial admissions exam on the turtle, it appeared as though her organs were hanging out of a large wound!

Apprentice Caretaker, Amy, called me and asked me what she could do to help the turtle. She told me that she still had function in all four legs and she could feel her tail, so I was not so concerned about any spinal trauma, but what was she going to do with these terrible injuries. As the turtle would breathe or move, more of the organs would come out and there was concern that the turtle would further traumatize the tissues as she walked or moved.

If we were going to have any chance of her surviving her injuries, the exposed tissues would have to be kept moist. I instructed Amy to put sterile water on the tissues and bandage them in such a way that the turtle would not further tear the tissues and the tissues would be kept moist. She was to give pain medications and to keep her warm.

When I examined her, I found that her carapace (the top part of her shell) had been fractured on her left side with the fracture extending down the bridge of her shell (the area that connects the top and bottom parts of the shell) and across her plastron (the bottom part of her shell). There was a large tear in the soft area just in front of her left rear leg. It appeared that about 3 inches of tissue had already been torn away from the body and, even though the wound had been kept moist, there were areas of tissue that had begun to die due to the compromised blood supply as a result of the trauma. Once the turtle was sedated, I removed a portion of the shell which had been fractured to better visualize the wound. Once I was able to get a better visual on the organs and where they originated, I realized that I had her reproductive tract in my hand. I extended the incision a bit further and was able to isolate the rest of the reproductive tract and remove the remainder of the tissue. I sutured the rent into the coelomic cavity and she had a smooth recovery from the surgery.

As of this writing, her shell fractures are coming together nicely and she is just waiting for her sutures to be removed before she can be released.

A Fighting Chance for a Mother Opossum

The Sherman Animal Care Complex (SACC) in San Antonio serves as Wildlife Rescue's drop-off point for hundreds of animals.  Concerned people can bring injured or orphaned animals to this central location in San Antonio.  At the end of the day, as the facility is closed and the animals transported to the sanctuary in Kendalia, I often think about who came in that day and how we helped. 

A good number of animals arrive needing minimal immediate care.  They are given a good exam, fluids, sometimes food, and put in a warm, dark and quiet place until the end of the day.  Although they are monitored and fed throughout the day, they are pretty much left alone.  Other times, there are more severe cases where an animal needs advanced medical attention.  I know we do good for these animals each day, but sometimes something happens that really reminds you of just how important your actions are.

It was around 3pm on a Friday when a man showed up at the front desk with an injured opossum, a mother carrying 5 small babies in her pouch.  The man explained that the opossum had been shot.  He wasn't too forthcoming with the details but was concerned with helping.  Perhaps a family member had shot the poor opossum as she strolled across the yard or maybe a neighbor didn't appreciate her rummaging through his trash. In any case, the man wanted the opossum to get some help and brought her to us.  He explained to me that he thought the opossum had already died as he was driving over because he could not see any movement.  When I peered into the box, I had the same initial reaction.  This poor girl didn't look alive at all.  She was very cold, stiff and not moving, but as I looked closer, she gasped, a large gasp as if starving for air.  She was still alive! 

I thanked the man for bringing her in and immediately took her back to an exam room.  I quickly weighed her and put her in one of our incubators so she could warm up while I called our vet staff for guidance.  I did not want to chance missing something that might help with this girl. Before doing too much else, it was imperative to get her body temperature up.  The babies in her pouch were cold also, but they were still attached to momma and I didn't want to pull them away just yet.  After about 20 minutes, I checked on her and she was still cold.  Other than giving her some pain medication, there wasn't much more I could do without her body temperature improving.  Next I tried placing a second heating pad over her to see if that made a difference.  Again, half an hour passed and she remained cold and stiff, but still breathing.  It was really concerning me that it was so difficult to get her body temperature up.  After speaking to the clinic manager at the sanctuary I tried a warm water enema.  I can't say I've ever given an enema to anyone much less an opossum!  It's not something I recommend to anyone with a weak constitution. 

I could see that those few hours I spent trying to get her warm, literally from the inside out, were well worth the effort as I waited for her ride to the sanctuary to show up.  Her babies were warm and still wiggling around in mom's pouch.  I sat there with her and she was a different animal completely.  She looked at me as I handled her, following my hands with her eyes.  She even opened her mouth and drooled as opossums often do when nervous.  She was alive and warm. 

I loaded her up for the drive to the WRR sanctuary in Kendalia and as she drove away with one of our incredible volunteers I could not help but feel warm myself.  She would soon get proper veterinarian care and she might just make it.  Something wonderful just happened here.  This momma opossum came to SACC near death, cold and stiff.  Without attention she would have surely perished leaving her babies to die also.  The few hours I spent with her changed her life.  We gave her a fighting chance.  I realize that every single day when an animal comes into SACC, the same thing happens.  Maybe not as dramatic, or as involved, but each and every animal that is rescued and brought to SACC leaves with a fighting chance.

WRR Benefits from H-E-B Promotion

 

It's the final week of the H-E-B and EarthShare of Texas Campaign. Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation is pleased that H-E-B has selected EarthShare of Texas to be the beneficiary of its in-store coupon promotion for April, in recognition of Earth Day.

This means that customers can tear off and add check-out coupons worth $1, $3, or $5 to their total bill to support environmental work in the Central Texas, Houston/Galveston, Gulf Coast, Rio Grande Valley and Border, plus North Texas Central Markets.

H-E-B has supported many EarthShare of Texas organizations with corporate grants or in-kind contributions. The April tear-pad promotion enables H-E-B customers to support the environmental program work of more than three dozen EarthShare of Texas organizations. WRR will benefit, because we are one of those organizations.

Look for the EarthShare of Texas display and tear-off coupons at the check-out stands in more than 200 H- E-B and Central Market stores in most areas of Texas (San Antonio excluded) through April and help support EarthShare of Texas and the Texas environment! San Antonio stores will feature this tear-pad campaign in November.