Late this morning I drove down to the Leybourne RSPCA centre to find out how the injured LBB Gull rescued from the East Scrub at New Hythe yesterday was getting on.
When I delivered it yesterday I waited for the result of an initial assessment and was told that the bird appeared to have some lameness. I wondered if that was a result of hitting the overhead wires then hitting the ground hard but today they told me that it's being treated for Botulism! This causes some paralysis and it usually starts in the legs, hence the lameness. It's not eating and will be transferred to Mallydams Wood RSPCA wildlife centre in Hastings next week for more specialist treatment. Presumably a recovery is possible otherwise they wouldn't be going to this trouble.
I confess to being a bit taken aback by this diagnosis for selfish reasons especially having handled the bird and having it wrapped in my coat for some time. I expressed my concern to the assistant at the centre and told her that even as we spoke I could feel the symptoms coming on, to which she told me I'd be fine and that I was a typical man. She won't say that when I have to be wrapped in a coat and carted off somewhere for treatment!
Anyway, I hope it makes a full recovery....................then I might too.
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3 comments:
If the posts stop Phil we'll know why...........
Phil ,
Coats and treatment seem to crop up quite regularly in your life ! If you do get carted off , make sure it's the same jacket , don't want to ruin another one .
I Googled 'botulism' and it said that it cannot be passed person to person , good news .
It didn't mention LBB Gull to person !
Still hope the bird makes it .
Oooh errr! I wasn't expecting that!! I Googled it too and it says it can only be ingested, inhaled or injected. Of course if it is injected into the face they call it Botox...the lengths some folk go to!
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