Anesthesia in Birds - A Delicate Balance

From Raptor Rescue Rehab Centre

Wake up, Little Susie, wake up!

This Spotted Eagle-Owl was found at Cotswold Downs with a broken wing and brought in for treatment. Under the expert care of Dr. Oliver Tatham from Clarendon Veterinary Clinic Pietermaritzburg, surgery was performed to insert a small pin to realign the ulna.

Administering anesthesia to birds is a precise and delicate process. Their high metabolic rates and efficient respiratory systems mean anesthetic gases act quickly - but can also linger longer or wear off faster depending on the individual bird. This owl took a little while to wake up, which isn't unusual after surgery. Throughout the procedure and recovery, the veterinary team closely monitored breathing, heart rate, and temperature to ensure the best possible outcome.

Thanks to expert care, this owl is now on the road to recovery - one step closer to spreading its wings again.

And a post from a follow up 5 days after:

Little Susie went in for her check-up and some gentle mobilisation and stretching while her pinned wing heals - and her X-ray shows just how extraordinary owl anatomy really is.

Owls can rotate their heads up to 270° thanks to extra neck vertebrae (they have 14, whereas mammals only have 7) and specialised blood-vessel adaptations that keep the brain supplied even during extreme turns. It's one of the many remarkable features that help them survive as silent, efficient hunters.

Thank you to Dr Oliver Tatham and the team at Clarendon Veterinary Clinic Pietermaritzburg for their expert care in helping Little Susie on her road to recovery.