Osprey with Injured Eye regains a Bird's-Eye View

Good eyesight is critical to survival for most wild animals. Without it, they could not obtain food, prepare shelter, and reproduce. Effective vision also helps them identify, avoid, and escape predators hoping to catch and consume easy-to-capture prey.

Since animals with significantly impaired vision usually don’t survive in the wild, they are rarely delivered to wildlife rehabilitators for care. Occasionally, however, a wild animal is brought to us with an acute condition involving the eyes. Here’s an example from a raptor rehabilitator.

Trapped in barbed wire

A young osprey (Pandion haliaetus) flew into a barbed wire fence near a lake during its first autumn migration. A concerned rescuer carefully removed the bird from the wire and immediately took it to a licensed raptor rehabilitator.

The rehabilitator noted that the bird was showing significant signs of fear and distress. This was no surprise because she knew that ospreys, as a species, easily become stressed. Furthermore, the experience of being trapped in a fence and injured, then removed and transported in a vehicle would be stressful for any wild animal. She quickly used a small syringe to give the osprey an oral dose of Aconite 200c dissolved in water, because Aconite is a highly effective homeopathic remedy in acute cases of intense fear. The bird calmed down considerably within 30 minutes. The rehabilitator had also noted general signs of injury and bruising from the osprey’s crash into barbed wire, so she promptly administered Arnica 1M for the trauma.

The rehabilitator then took the osprey to her veterinarian where they carefully checked it for wounds and injuries. The bird had numerous small punctures on the wings and body, but fortunately no major rips or tears, so sutures weren’t necessary. X-rays were taken but showed no fractures. The osprey’s most severe injury appeared to be to the right eye, which was intact, but filled with blood.

The rehabilitator thoroughly cleaned the body wounds with a very dilute Betadine® solution according to her veterinarian’s directions and standard protocols. She then gave the osprey a dose of homeopathic Hypericum 200c because of its effectiveness in accelerating healing of lacerations and punctures and reducing pain associated with such wounds.

Even though the bird was still showing some anxiety the next day and did not seem quite as alert as it should be, its overall pain level seemed lower and the wounds were starting to heal. Considerable bruising appeared along the bones in the wing, which was to be expected given the nature of the injury. Since there was no sign of infection and healing seemed to be progressing, the bird was kept warm, quiet, and nourished in a relatively stress-free enclosure.

Veering off course

After several weeks of care, the bird’s wounds healed entirely and the blood cleared out of the injured eye. Although the osprey was generally alert, it appeared to startle easily, and the rehabilitator noted that it occasionally seemed a bit more mentally dull than normal. The bird seemed ready to fly again, however, so it was moved to a larger flight enclosure. Its wings worked well, but the osprey consistently veered to the right when attempting level flight. The rehabilitator began to wonder if the bird had impaired vision in its right eye.

Upon examination, the veterinarian diagnosed a traumatic cataract in the bird’s right eye, which was not visible without ophthalmic instruments. He gave a poor prognosis for recovery and release, saying that the osprey’s vision was irreparably damaged and no conventional treatments could help.

The rehabilitator then consulted with a homeopathic veterinarian and reported the bird’s fore-mentioned symptoms, as well as another curious observation: the osprey seemed somewhat reluctant to groom after getting wet. This was unusual since ospreys regularly groom themselves after capturing and eating fish from the water.

The rehabilitator and homeopathic veterinarian repertorized the case, including the following rubrics:
• Eyes; Cataract, opacity of lens
• Eyes; Injuries, from
• Head; Injuries of the head, after
• Mind; Dullness; injuries of head, after
• Mind; Starting, startled; easily
• Generalities; Bathing, washing; aversion to, dread of

They thought that either Calcarea carbonica or Silicea might be a match, especially because they had known of these remedies resolving cataracts successfully in other raptors. Since it was difficult to decide which remedy was the better match for the symptoms, they decided to try Silicea first and switch to Calcarea carbonica if they did not see improvement starting in a week.

Straight and true

The osprey was given a dose of Silicea 30c. Within a few days, the bird seemed to be flying straighter!

Ten days after the first and only dose of Silicea, the osprey was taken to a veterinary ophthalmologist, who saw only traces of a cataract and was confident that the bird would regain full vision. Soon, the osprey was flying normally in the flight cage.

When the other ospreys that had all migrated for the winter returned in the spring, this osprey was released back to the wild with no visual, behavioral, or flight impairment. Thank goodness for homeopathy’s help!

Additional keys to success

The rehabilitator and veterinarians fully appreciated the key role of good homeopathy in the osprey’s recovery. But this case also highlights other factors that increase the chance of a successful outcome for injured wildlife.

First, an injured wild animal must be found and rescued in a timely manner before their condition deteriorates (i.e., when they still have a good chance of being rehabilitated back to their natural environment) or before they are taken by a predator. The animal must be safely transported and promptly taken to a rehabilitator, and not subjected to improper care by an untrained, even if well-meaning rescuer.

Second, an available skilled, knowledgeable, and resourceful wildlife rehabilitator should understand the natural history of the species, common problems, and survival requirements. Rehabilitators must also use effective rehabilitation practices, such as diets, caging, and handling appropriate for the species and ages of the animals.

Third, the rehabilitator must have previously developed effective relationships with veterinarians who are willing to work with wildlife. The rehabilitators and veterinarians must have a solid knowledge base of wildlife rehabilitation and treatment practices. For example, the rehabilitator and veterinarians should immediately differentiate between what might look like eye disease or injuries, but in fact could be symptomatic of other conditions, such as dehydration, head trauma, or poisoning—and they should be able to react accordingly.

Finally, the rehabilitators and veterinarians need to have the necessary resources immediately available: equipment, medications, repertories and materia medicas, homeopathic medicines in a variety of potencies, and other supplies (e.g., appropriate food, cages, and supportive treatments).

Seeing clearly again

As in the osprey’s case, teamwork between educated rescuers, rehabilitators, and veterinarians can make all the difference. When appropriate pre-established relationships, quick decision-making, and necessary resources are available and at hand, these magnificent wild creatures can regain good vision and return to the wild to live free again, as nature intended.

©2007 Shirley J. Casey