Leg op for disabled barn owl
A barn owl that was born with one of his legs sticking out at a right angle has undergone corrective surgery, and is making a "remarkable" recovery.
The young barn owl named Scooter suffered with a growth deformity in the bones of his right leg, which left him unable to stand up. The deformity was discovered when Scooter first came out from underneath his parents at just six days old.
Based at the Owl and the Pussycat Centre, home to Hedwig and Errol from the Harry Potter films, Scooter was in good hands. Staff decided to take him to the Hospital for Small Animals at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.
Here, Scooter was to undergo surgery.
Kevin Eatwell, a lecturer in exotic animals at the university, said that they would have looked at amputating the leg for many other birds, but decided to operate because Scooter is a bird of prey, and so depends on his legs for catching prey and landing.
"We needed to put the bones in place using pins and bars," he said. "Because Scooter is growing, the bone will now be able to grow at the right angle, so he can regain full use of the leg.
"Scooter should have no problem being able to take off and land on his own two legs now."
Describing him as "a real cutie", Owl and Pussycat Centre Manager, Ruth Hickling, explained that Scooter made his first flight 10 weeks on from surgery.
"His first flight did involve crash-landing on the floor but it was still a great start," she laughed.
"We run visits for children with special needs and Scooter has had everyone enraptured," Ruth continued. "Not only has he won the heart of all the children, he also seems to have won the hearts of everyone at the Dick Vet's Hospital for Small Animals."
RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.
