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This year has flown past, it will soon be 2009 and we are still busy here at Vale.
Our total patient intake to date is well up on last year, and although it is a lot quieter than it was in the spring and summer, we are still taking in more injured wildlife than usual.
The animal which we are seeing more than any other at the moment is, yes, you've guessed it....the hedgehog.
As usual in the autumn the youngsters from the second litters of hoglets are desperately trying to feed themselves up so as to gain a big enough fat reserve to survive the cold weather. Half-grown hogs are turning up in peoples gardens during the day on a regular basis on their quest for food.
Being normally nocturnal, the advice is that if a hedgehog is out in the daytime there is usually a problem. That problem might just be the need for extra food, but the youngsters are also prone to various infections which will need antibiotics to clear up.
If you do find a small hedgehog out in the day, seek advice from us or from your nearest wildlife rescue centre (weigh the little chap before ringing as this information is vital in order to give the correct advice
). It is best to put it in a box whilst you are seeking advice otherwise he/she will invariably have disappeared by the time you go back to find it!!
). It is best to put it in a box whilst you are seeking advice otherwise he/she will invariably have disappeared by the time you go back to find it!!
Two recent 'patients':
1) A little grebe, or dabchick (pictured) came in with no obvious injuries. He was with us for a few days before being released back into the wild.
2) A swan was brought in, supposedly with not
hing wrong with it, just needed releasing so we were told. We were immediately concerned because it had a swelling in the upper part of it's throat. Alarm bells....fishing hook......we x-rayed and found that our suspicions were correct. The hook and line (pictured) were removed through a small incision in the swans neck. A couple of sutures and an antibiotic injection later and the swan was recovering under an infra-red heat light. He will be going for release in a few days!! Another success story.
hing wrong with it, just needed releasing so we were told. We were immediately concerned because it had a swelling in the upper part of it's throat. Alarm bells....fishing hook......we x-rayed and found that our suspicions were correct. The hook and line (pictured) were removed through a small incision in the swans neck. A couple of sutures and an antibiotic injection later and the swan was recovering under an infra-red heat light. He will be going for release in a few days!! Another success story.
