Lactate Meter!

We have exciting news! Based on all of your generous donations, our project got fully funded (and then some), and we were able to order the lactate meter. It has arrived, and we also got our first entanglement patient for the study! It is an adult Great Blue Heron that has been seen with a hook in its mouth for almost a month, but we had been unable to catch it. This past weekend, one of our amazing volunteers was able to catch the bird and bring it to CROW.

 

Great Blue Heron on presentation to CROW

On presentation, the hook and line was removed from the bird's mouth, blood was collected, and full radiographs were taken. The bird's blood lactate level was 3.2 mmol/L. Radiographs (x-rays) revealed that there was a hook in the bird that looked as though it had perforated through the GI tract.

 

X-ray of the bird's coelom (abdomen)

Based on these radiographs, this bird was taken to surgery the following day, and the hook was successfully removed. The patient is currently recovering well from surgery, and we are optimistic it will make a full recovery. Its blood lactate level will be checked again prior to release.

Thank you all so much for your generous donations and support of this project. We are so excited to be able to start collecting data, and will post updates along the way!!