Raptor health, in our hands

June 01, 2020

Steve Turnbull, Photo by Steve Turnbull

At The Raptor Center, our staff are experts in raptor medicine and rehabilitation. But it’s your generosity that makes it possible for us to deliver the gold-standard care these birds need. Here are some of the tools and technology your gifts have recently made possible in our world-renowned clinic:

A breath of fresh air

Raptor patients that are oxygen deprived or need extra oxygen to heal are placed into special chambers that allow us to measure and deliver the needed levels of oxygen. Previously, we purchased expensive oxygen tanks in order to meet this crucial demand. Thanks to our generous donors, we now have two oxygen concentrators, which pull in air from the surrounding environment and concentrate the oxygen for patients placed inside. These concentrators have freed us from buying oxygen tanks, which previously limited our oxygen supply. With unlimited oxygen, we can improve the level of care we provide to our raptor patients.

Small tool, long name, immeasurable asset

Our clinic is now the proud owner of a new device with a complicated name: an end-tidal carbon dioxide monitor. This useful tool was recently donated to the clinic and has already made its way into daily use by our staff. Small and portable, this device provides real-time monitoring of a patient's exhaled carbon dioxide, allowing us to carefully monitor a raptor’s breathing while under anesthesia. This new monitor is both more accurate and easier to use than what we had in the past, making procedures under anesthesia safer for our patients.

Beating hearts, beating wings

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we recently acquired two new electrocardiogram (ECG) devices. While both ECG machines measure heart rate, electrical activity in the heart, and temperature in real time, each has its own benefits. Our new patient-side device (pictured left) is small and portable. It is the first of its kind at the TRC, allowing for quick setup and ease of use among multiple patients. It also has Bluetooth for remote patient monitoring. The donated full-size ECG machine lets us record and print this valuable data for our records and research. These machines will expand the knowledge we have about these majestic birds and allow for improved raptor care and rehabilitation.

Raptor Magazine

The Raptor Center | College of Veterinary Medicine

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