It came to us from the Dillingham area. Why a Golden Eagle was there at all, specially during the winter is beyond us. It was very emaciated. It's keal bone stuck out like a knife and it had no strength to even bite at Cindy while she was examining it. Dehydration was another issue. The eagle was so docile that Cindy taught me how to tube feed without 
having to restrain it.It had little or no fight left. There were no obvious injuries. Trying to take blood to run test was next to impossible. It was alive for now so it was going to get our best. Whatever food and liquid we gave it came out naturally on the other end, so that all worked OK.
Cindy was getting attached. Not like we haven't 
been there before. It was going to get every chance to survive. Needless to say that doesn't mean she doesn't give every bird 100% plus in the first place.
A couple days later she thought she had noticed it holding it's head up. She went in it's mew to check on it and it had passed on.
Sometimes your best isn't enough or it's meant to be used on another bird. But, it's perching comfortably where ever eagles go when they die. Cindy and the rest of the TLC Staff gave it's all trying to keep it here but it wasn't meant to be this time.
3 comments:
I don't think I could ever do the work you do - too sad for a softy like me.
Trying to see the positive here, I think this Golden gave a good learning opportunity to you and you all allowed it to die safely and without much stress.
;-(
I try my best to stay away from our rehab birds, but I find that I get a bit attached to the ones I actually go pick up to bring in. And when one of them dies, I try to focus on the hundreds that RAPTOR has saved.
It's like doctors and nurses, having to develop a barrier between them and their patients. We couldn't go on if we let it get to us too much.
That's really a heart-break, Dave. I agree with Laura. This Golden died without a lot of stress, in the care of people who were trying to save it. That counts.
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