Bat’s broken wing treated with laser therapy
The team used a concentrated and specific attachment to focus the laser.
A bat rescued with a broken wing has been receiving laser therapy to help it recover after its procedure.
The serotine bat is being treated at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, having been found with a fractured forearm by a member of the public on a kerb.
Speaking to the BBC, head vet Steve Smith said: "Serotine bats are beautiful and fascinating animals, but they are incredibly delicate patients, so repairing a fractured wing requires great care and precision.
"X-rays showed that this bat had broken its forearm, so we carefully pinned the distal radius fracture to stabilise the wing.”
Once the bat’s wing had been repaired, vets prescribed it pain relief, antibiotics and laser therapy to help with the healing process.
When conducting laser therapy, the team used a concentrated and specific attachment to focus the light. The probe was never pointed near the bat’s eyes, so there was no danger to its retina.
The treatment was carried out on a short cycle to minimise the bat’s stress to only what was absolutely necessary.
Mr Smith said: "We’ll continue to monitor it closely over the next couple of weeks while the wound heals. Once we’re confident the wing is strong enough, we’ll begin test flights to rebuild its strength and make sure it is ready to cope back in the wild.”
Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital, which was founded in 1978, treats over 14,000 sick, injured and orphaned animals each year. It aims to utilise state-of-the-art veterinary treatment to rehabilitate and return its patients back into the wild.
Image © Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
