Norfolk baby eagle is ILL !!

mrsD · 05-29-2008, 10:20 AM

They have released the biopsy results:

Avian Pox:

.

Quote:

Avian pox caused growth on eaglet's beak

06:20 PM EDT on Wednesday, May 28, 2008

By 13News

WAYNESBORO – Veterinarians at the Wildlife Center of Virginia say the mass on the beak of the eaglet taken from Norfolk Botanical Garden was caused by avian pox.

Avian pox is a viral disease generally spread through mosquitoes, but it can be spread from bird to bird.

Wildlife Center of Virginia

Tests confirm the eaglet has avian pox.

Now, officials are working on a course of treatment. Options include antibiotics to fight secondary infections, antifungal drugs to prevent secondary fungal diseases common to raptors in captivity and medications to help boost the immune system.

Additionally, the month-old eaglet will likely need surgery, officials say.

This at least means they will try to treat him....there is some experience with Avian Pox.
Perhaps he will survive but live in a wildlife sanctuary situation.
I'd hate to see him euthanized!

There is a photo of the slide of the biopsy here:

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mrsD · 05-30-2008, 02:30 PM

This is part of the transcript from WVEC chat room:

Quote:

[2008.05.30 13:38:47] Lefty: It was mentioned about the soft swelling on the roof of the mouth. Has this increased and gotten worse?
[2008.05.30 13:40:09] Ed Clark: Yes, it has gotten worse. We are now treating this virus using some of the same protocols and drugs used to treat HIV, including interferon. At $500 per bottle, we don't keep it on hand, but the drug arrived today and the treatment has been started. We hope this slows the growth of the lesion
[2008.05.30 13:40:55] Bee: What type of surgery is contemplated at this time? How extensive will it be (possibe removal of some of the beak)?
[2008.05.30 13:42:30] Ed Clark: The surgery will be extremely invasive to the side of the beak. What we don't know is the condition of the underlying bone. That is the real question at this point. A lot of people have suggested prosthetics, but that is unlikely to be our first choice, and may not be an option at all if the bone has eroded
[2008.05.30 13:42:52] bird watcher2: Is the eaglet in any pain or is he suffering in any way?
[2008.05.30 13:44:24] Ed Clark: No! The bird is comfortable and has actually been started on an anelgesic to control any pain. We have reason to believe that prior to the use of this pain control drug, the bird's beak had become sensitive. Pain is a stressor that can affect immunity so we want to control pain, just like controlling infection
[2008.05.30 13:45:17] TracyLynn: Whats the probability of nest being infected, and would it affect the next clutch next year
[2008.05.30 13:45:21] Ed Clark: I'm good to continue another 30 minutes if you like....beyond the hour
[2008.05.30 13:45:51] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.05.30 13:46:10] Ed Clark: I really don't think that is likely to be the case, even though theoretically it is possible. This virus is in the environment anyway.
[2008.05.30 13:46:24] Artsy Mom: Is this chick in danger of expiring due to its condition and is it being quarantined to prevent spreading the virus?
[2008.05.30 13:48:05] Ed Clark: I am taking that as two questions..... Yes, the little bird's life still hangs in the balance. Just because we know what the problem is does not mean it is not still extremely grave. Second, it has been isolated to keep it away from other patients and insulated from stressful activities and noise
[2008.05.30 13:48:32] Ed Clark: good....let's go until 2:30 or until we run out of questions
[2008.05.30 13:48:54] Ed Clark: Shall we announce that?
[2008.05.30 13:49:13] Louise: Is it possible that some contaminants are in the area where the chick was born. also what about the possibility of tainted food he has been eating
[2008.05.30 13:49:14] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.05.30 13:49:45] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.05.30 13:50:42] Ed Clark: You have hit on a point that goes to the larger conservation concerns raised by this case. Yes, it is definitely possible that other pollutants or contaminants have cause this bird to be weak.... We are conducting tests for metals and pesticides now
[2008.05.30 13:51:04] tweety: Is there any possible connection between avian pox and the behavior of the paretns towards the intruder earlier this season? It seemed to be less agressive than expected.
[2008.05.30 13:51:45] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.05.30 13:52:10] Ed Clark: I'm not sure we can make that leap of logic. There are lots of reasons for birds to react aggressively or not. I don't know enough about what happened to speculate
[2008.05.30 13:52:27] kathy: How long can it be kept in captivity before being released into the wild becomes impossible?
[2008.05.30 13:53:01] Ed Clark: That is not our limiting factor. We have held eagles for more than a year before returning them to the wild.
[2008.05.30 13:53:41] ostrich: Ed, one news report stated there are some new anti-viral therapies that might be used in this case. Can you elaborate on this at all, as I understood normally the options for directly treating the virus itself are limited (i.e. treatment consists of preventing other complications until the bird's own immune system can ward off the virus)
[2008.05.30 13:55:38] Ed Clark: We are using what are certainly unusual therapies for veterinary medicine....i.e. interferon, a human drug. We are investigating other things as well. There have been interesting studies showing that echinacea helps with immunity in raptors and we're even using that
[2008.05.30 13:56:02] HARDCOREEaglelover: Did you get the question about if the eaglet is likely to get more pox on him or if this one is the only one he will have to fight?
[2008.05.30 13:57:29] Ed Clark: We believe that, like most viruses, the body will develop anti-bodies to defend against future infection, much like people only get chicken-pox one time. I'm not sure that has been tested and proven, but we have no reason to believe otherwise
[2008.05.30 13:58:02] CatLuver: Untreated, what is the natural progression of AP?
[2008.05.30 13:59:34] Ed Clark: Untreated, and in "normal" cases, the lesions form much like warts, become inflamed and sometimes cause problems with vision or breathing, but eventually will subside if they do not overwhelm the victim. Eventually, the "warts" and lesions go away and leave only scars. It can take quite a while though.
[2008.05.30 13:59:57] Chris: Is the avia pox cutaneous or diptheritic
[2008.05.30 14:01:07] Ed Clark: The test identifying it as pox did not "type" the virus. It makes no difference to us in the treatment protocol whether it is "dry" pox or "wet" pox. Treatment is identical.
[2008.05.30 14:01:27] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.05.30 14:01:58] tweety: Have any results been released on the two eggs removed from the nest? Were they tested for avian pox?
[2008.05.30 14:02:31] Ed Clark: I do not know. That question will have to go to the state agency or to the Center for Conservation Biology. We were not involved in that.
[2008.05.30 14:03:19] christina: When treatment is done and hopefully sucessful will the eaglet be relesaed back in this area?
[2008.05.30 14:05:18] Ed Clark: It is too soon to speculate, but the release site will likely be determined by where we can find a concentration of other young eagles. They learn a great deal from each other.....and they steal food from each other until they learn to fish on their own. For young birds like this, we often choose the bald eagle refuge on the James River where a very large number of juveniles concentrate.
[2008.05.30 14:05:29] Ed Clark: We are a long way from planning that event, though
[2008.05.30 14:06:02] EagleWatcher: is he being watched 24hrs a day
........................
[2008.05.30 14:07:13] Ed Clark: No, there is no reason to do so. Watching him actually ads stress to the bird. He really just eats, sleeps and poops, so it is not much for spectators at this moment. He is checked regularly, but is not under constant surveillance.
[2008.05.30 14:07:32] Skipper: If the virus has affected the growth of the eaglet's beak, once the growth is removed, will the beak "fix" itself or will they have to do some kind of reconstructive surgery? If the surgeons have to reconstruct the beak, will the eaglet be released to the wild?
[2008.05.30 14:09:24] Ed Clark: Great questions, but we can't really answer them yet. If the beak is not too badly deformed, we can correct it somewhat by grinding the tip of the beak to put pressure on the short side...much like an orthodontist does with braces. If it is really bad, something more will be required. We don't know yet
[2008.05.30 14:09:46] jwnix: Is it in a location where it can at least hear the adult bald eagles in the center? and once you determine no longer contagious, might they share space....and adults could teach him "life skills for eagles"?
[2008.05.30 14:11:32] Ed Clark: No, the bird is insulated from outside sounds, including eagles. Unlike songbirds who must learn vocalizations, eagles don't really need that. We may move him to a cage with other eagles in the future, but for now, we are working to be sure he even has a future.....
[2008.05.30 14:12:17] Hardcore Heart: do you have any idea how long chick has been infected then ( or has this already been addressed?)
[2008.05.30 14:12:31] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.05.30 14:13:02] Ed Clark: We were told the lesion was noticed on day 14, but that means it may have been infected during its first few days of life.
[2008.05.30 14:13:16] jbcaprine: Is he being fed with an "eagle puppet," to insure that he's not being imprinted by humans?
[2008.05.30 14:14:32] Ed Clark: This bird is too old for the "imprinting" process at this stage. We are looking for a feeding puppet, but have simply been feeding him "blind"....that is using long tongs and not allowing him to see humans much at all. ...................
.............................
[2008.05.30 14:20:55] Ed Clark: It is a very real possibility that environmental factors may have contributed to the problem, though we have not identified any specific smoking gun. We are awaiting results for heavy metals and pesticides as we speak.
[2008.05.30 14:21:14] hardcore jamie: Since he was the 5th egg for our pair, would this have any possible relation to his being sick or prone to sickness?
[2008.05.30 14:21:59] Ed Clark: No, it is not the "runt" of the clutch. Immunity is usually conveyed to the chicks after they hatch, not before.
[2008.05.30 14:22:12] bev: I f he cannot be released into the wild will you keep him as and educator bird(what a ambassodor he is already}
[2008.05.30 14:24:16] Ed Clark: If he cannot be released, we will evaluate his future at that time. I do not want anyone to think that euthanasia is not among the possible outcomes of this case. We are trying desperately to save this little bird and get his back to the wild. If we can't life in captivity is possible. However, we will not condemn him to 30 years of suffering. He will have to have a good quality of life
[2008.05.30 14:24:28] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.05.30 14:24:34] Ed Clark: That is what makes our jobs so hard.....options
[2008.05.30 14:24:41] Ed Clark: and lack of options....
[2008.05.30 14:24:51] dee: Mr Clark, is this little eaglet the most famous you have cared for at the Center today?
[2008.05.30 14:26:24] Ed Clark: I would have to say that of our 50,000 patients treated, none ever came with a fan club before! It doesn't really affect our decisionmaking, but it does add significance to the outcomes. We want to save the bird, and avoid breaking the hearts of all who care so much about him
[2008.05.30 14:26:33] Ed Clark: including all of us!
[2008.05.30 14:26:48] MJ: Is the avian pox linked to West Nile?
[2008.05.30 14:26:54] Ed Clark: No, not at all. ...........
........................
[2008.05.30 14:28:02] Ed Clark: We have treated avian pox, and variations of it, for many years. However, we have never seen anything like this. It almost grows before our eyes....
[2008.05.30 14:28:16] HARDCORE TRACY: is it possible to put cam on baby so we can monitor him?
[2008.05.30 14:29:53] Ed Clark: At this point, we are discussing it, but we have not determined how to do that, or honestly if it really is the best thing for the bird. He is being kept in a very low light environment to keep him sleepy, so a cam is not likely to be very effective. If we get through the surgery and have a prospect of recovery, we might consider it.
[2008.05.30 14:30:09] Ed Clark: keep in mind we'll admit 500 other patients this month as well!
[2008.05.30 14:30:34] HARDCORE TRACY: Do you think the parents new something was wong with him?
[2008.05.30 14:31:26] Ed Clark: This is the last question. I do not think the parents had any reason to be aware of the problem with the baby. He was eating well and growing normally.
[2008.05.30 14:32:02] Ed Clark: Thanks to everyone for joining. We'll talk with WVEC and see if another special chat can be arranged if there is more to tell. Thanks to all of you.
[2008.05.30 14:32:16] wvec-moderator: Thanks to Ed Clark from the Wildlife Center of Virginia for taking the time to answer some questios about the eaglet today.
[2008.05.30 14:32:29] wvec-moderator: Next week, we will hold another live chat session with Stephen Living, wildlife biologist from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
[2008.05.30 14:32:38] wvec-moderator: Steve will recap the eagles’ 2008 season at Norfolk Botanical Garden, and answer your questions about Eagle Cam and other ecological issues.
[2008.05.30 14:32:45] wvec-moderator: Check the Eagle Cam page on WVEC.com later for the date and time of the next chat session.

mrsD · 05-31-2008, 03:49 PM

Here is a very interesting video clip of the eaglet getting the MRI.

Shows him being handled, and getting the anesthetic, etc.

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Zayne · 05-31-2008, 06:36 PM

That was intersting to watch. I knew they are large birds but I was still surprised at the size of this baby. And the feet!!

mrsD · 06-01-2008, 04:49 PM

By Duane.

He is a very talented and persistent photographer at the Norfolk Gardens.

Many of these photos are NOT from the WVEC videos, and are his own
work.

They are moving and well worth the time it takes to view.

There are some pauses in them, so don't turn them off.

I've seen Duane's equipment and it is impressive. He certainly has a
unique talent for wildlife photography!

Please watch!

It is a beautiful tribute to the Gardens, the Eagles living there and the people who
have become attached to them.

Zayne · 06-02-2008, 01:23 AM

I found 16 pages of beautiful pictures if this is what you were talking about? I loved them all and thought the ones with two sitting side by side were really special and the one hunting with a flight bird along also.

I wish I could see an eagle in the wild. I'm certain I did once but it was so far way it was difficult to tell. But I'm pretty sure it wasn't a chicken with some white feathers even at that distance, lol.

mrsD · 06-02-2008, 07:17 AM

I forgot the link! I do that sometimes now....getting old.

.

Yes, there are many YouTubes now with the Norfolk eagles!

We've had nesting eagles up North in the summers now for about 5 yrs.
They nest about 3 islands over. One summer a chick fell out of the nest and
the DNR guy climbed back up with it.

We only see the newly fledged young ones flying with their parents to learn
how to catch fish. One year there was a "fight" or altercation right over us
where two eagles engaged their talons and fell...all the while screaming.
We don't know if it were a territory dispute or a "practice" fight.
We often see lone adults with white head fishing in front of our dock. The presence of the eagle seems to upset the gulls and other birds like crows
considerably. There is always one or two following the eagle and making a loud fuss. The Terns are good at this.

BTW... I just checked my sources... and it appears that the little guy is refusing food. He has lost weight too,
and that is a very bad sign.

Zayne · 06-02-2008, 11:22 AM

Oh those were all just breath taking pics.

It is not sounding good for the ill one. I was so pleased to see a young ones picture though. I don't know what I expected but this one was so plump looking and sorta comical with its fuzzy growth. It makes it nice when those that can get close and take pictures share with the rest of us. Thanks again for your sharing too.
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mrsD · 06-03-2008, 03:07 AM

This was posted at the Norfolk Gardens forum:

Quote:

2pm EDT 6/2/08

Hi Sandi,

I suspect you’ll hear this soon enough, but we have seen a slight reduction of the growth on the eagle’s beak. The little bird is now able to breathe out of both nostrils. That is a small victory, but suggests that the drugs are working. We have now also reached all three of the eagle experts we needed to reach about the case. Surgery is definitely in the plan now, and we have two surgeons identified who can perform the procedure. We are in touch with both to see who is willing and at what cost.

We are still dealing with a really sick little bird, but this is the first day when we have not had to report a worsening of his condition. That is no small accomplishment. We believe the Interferon may be starting to work.

We’ll keep you posted.

Ed

I guess a press release will be coming soon.

Doody · 06-03-2008, 09:48 AM

Thanks for keeping us informed about this ((Mrs. D)). I haven't had a lot of time to keep up. I sure hope this little guy comes through this. It's encouraging the growth is getting smaller and that there are surgeons who can operate.

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