Intern

Cats: Our Friends, Their Foes

Written by: Nicholas B. Canino, PHSS Intern

Cats are one of the most popular pets in the United States, with about 43 million households owning at least one. Their quirky personalities, neverending curiosity, and admirable features make them delightful pets to have. It is also common knowledge that these enthusiastic critters are not nearly as domesticated as dogs and still have a “wild side” to them. Much of their time is spent hunting toys on a string, pouncing on their owner’s hands, and gnawing on whatever they can get their paws on. Unfortunately, this can lead to a major issue for native animals on the receiving end of their wild nature.

Many cat owners think that it is essential to allow their cats to have free access to the outdoors around the neighborhood. This is due to a common misconception that cats require time outdoors in order to live a healthy life, but in reality, it has the opposite effect. But whether owners decide to leave them outside overnight, during the day, at all times, or even for short periods of time, these cats can do severe damage to the native wildlife that also calls that neighborhood home. Instead of having toys to hunt while inside, cats that are outdoors will choose to hunt a variety of native animals including lizards, birds, and small mammals. Many of these animals end up severely wounded or dead as a result of the cat's wild instincts.

Of course, cats are not to blame for simply complying with their natural behavior. In nature, these cats would be able to hunt and the populations of these animals would not decline so significantly. However, because of the increasing population of feral and outdoor cats in the United States, many native populations are not able to keep up. In some regions of the world, cat populations can be directly attributed to the extinction of numerous species. One study in 2013 found that domestic cats in the U.S. kill an average of 1.3 to 4 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually. This unfathomable number of wildlife killed each year solely from domestic cat predation is why many wildlife ecologists believe cats are a greater concern for biodiversity than deforestation or climate change.

For a long time, cat owners have overlooked the impact that their precious pet is having on their local environment. Many owners will refute this argument by stating that they feed their cats a sufficient amount of food to stop them from hunting. But, has a cat ever stopped hunting toys on a string because it was full? Likewise, many owners say they have only seen their cat bring home an animal once or twice. But, for every animal they bring home, a few were left where they were killed and many more were severely injured and left to die. That is where Pelican Harbor Seabird Station comes in.

Over the past few years, Pelican Harbor has better tracked the circumstances of admission for many of our injured and sick animals. Since 2019, we have had nearly 500 animals come in that were attacked by a cat. About 75% of these animals were birds such as Northern Mockingbirds and Mourning Doves. The other 25% includes mammals like baby opossums and squirrels that we frequently get in the summer months. Cat attacks are the second most frequent reason why animals are brought to us for treatment. Unfortunately, the survival rate for these animals is very low with less than 50% of birds surviving to release. This is due to a potent bacteria that cats carry called Pasteurella multocida, which left untreated has a grace mortality  rate. Our treatment for patients attacked by cats includes strong antibiotics to avoid infection, laser treatment for pain, and wound repair and cleaning if necessary.

Because of the high occurance of cat attacks, there is a lot that we can do at Pelican Harbor to improve the situation for our native animals. Educating guests on the consequences of leaving their cats outdoors is one of the most impactful methods we can use to reduce the negative effects of outdoor cats. We always recommend that people leave their cats indoors and only allow outside access if there is an area where wildlife cannot get to, like an enclosed patio. Not only does this ensure that our wildlife is protected, but that our cats are safe as well. While we do our part to treat our wildlife, make sure you are doing your part to protect them too!


References:

Are outdoor cats happier? - Animal Humane Society

The impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife of the United States - Nature

Preserving our Urban Paradise

Written by: Samantha Martinez, Environmental Educator

Barn Owl 22-842

In Miami, we are constantly growing and upgrading our infrastructure as new homes, highways, and businesses are built daily to expand our urban paradise. This, on occasion, can come at the cost of the homes of our wild neighbors. This is what may have happened to patient 21-842, a juvenile Barn Owl. This owl was found on a construction site after a tree, believed to be harboring the bird's nest, was cut down. Unable to fly and with dry blood covering his feet and nares, the owl was brought into Pelican Harbor Seabird Station.  We see this all too often at PHSS, especially during the spring months as people prepare for hurricane season.

Once in care, our rehabbers noticed swelling and lameness in this patient's right leg, with x-rays confirming a midshaft fracture to the tarsometatarsus bone. The rehab team thoroughly cleaned the area and added a half splint with firm cast material to immobilize the young owl's leg during the healing process. This, coupled with supportive care, antibiotics, and pain medication, has this bird on the road to recovery. However, there is still a long way to go, and not all displaced fledglings are so lucky.

Wildlife rehabber, Carolina, renesting a displaced Eastern Screech Owl nestling.

We understand that tree trimming and construction are often unavoidable facts of urban life, especially considering the need to prevent damage from hurricanes. However, we recommend some simple ways to help avoid harm to wildlife when starting a building project or trimming trees for whatever reason. Such methods include doing an initial survey of the area to see if any wildlife is inhabiting it. You can check for droppings, nests, or nesting materials, and listen for animals in the immediate vicinity. If you find that an animal is nesting in a tree you plan to trim, we recommend leaving all branches supporting the nest as well as those protecting it from weather and predators until all babies have left the nest. Most birds will be done nesting by mid-July. Following these simple steps will help save countless nesting birds and mammals and prevent you from receiving costly fines associated with disturbing a federally protected nest. To learn more about protecting wildlife while trimming trees, feel free to reach out to us for a copy of our Animal Safety for Arborist sheet. 

View our Animal Safety for Arborist Sheet

Saved by the Power of Light

Written by: Milena Orjuela, PHSS Intern

Pelicans are meant to glide through the sky, dipping in and out of the ocean on a sunny day, and leaving your jaw dropped if they happen to catch a fish near you. That is what I thought until Pelican 21-372 came to our clinic. After taking a quick glance at the bird, I secretly thought to myself, “you are doomed.” Pelican 21-372 first came into our care after being spotted with monofilament entangling its left wing, upper body, and head. It was obvious upon examination that the bird was also malnourished and dehydrated. Our staff noted multiple open wounds in its face, abdomen, legs, and a large malodorous wound on the left patagium. A malodorous wound is characterized by necrotic tissue, or bacterial colonization, often containing both anaerobes and aerobes and is a major obstruction to healing. The patagium, the site of the open wound, is a web of elastic fibers that extends from the head to the wrist and has the very important job of assisting birds in gliding and flying. Such a grave injury on a crucial part of the bird’s wing is why Pelican 21-372’s chances were initially seen as quite poor. 

A set of X-rays determined that there were no fractures or broken bones to deal with in addition to the obvious open wounds. Subcutaneous fluids were given to aid with dehydration, antibiotics, pain killers, anti-inflammatories, and Vitamin E were administered to help the healing process, and the pelican was given one dose of anti-parasitic medication. All wounds were thoroughly cleansed and special care was given to the left wing. All dead tissue was removed from the patagium, a topical antibiotic ointment was administered, and the wing was wrapped. Though the physical treatments and medications certainly had a very beneficial role in healing the bird, the laser therapy Pelican 21-372 received is what really allowed such a miraculous recovery. 

First developed in 1960, laser therapy can heal major injuries at a cellular level by stimulating a process called photobiomodulation. Photobiomodulation or PBM works as photons enter the tissue and interact with the Cytochrome C complex inside cellular mitochondria. The absorption of light by the Cytochrome C oxidase helps the cells to increase the production of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), which is the intracellular energy transfer molecule. This helps to restore the oxidative process which allows the cells to resume normal functions, preventing cell death and associated complications. Additionally, laser therapy can stimulate the production of free nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is a powerful vasodilator, and an important signaling molecule, respectively. Together, these chemical compounds and molecules can promote faster signaling, decreased edema, reduced inflammation, and a faster healing process. Looking at the body as a whole, PBM causes a beneficial systemic effect by expanding cellular proliferation, improving microcirculation in the tissue, and inducing growth factor production. Because the results of photobiomodulation are very dose-dependent, the strength of the therapy is selected according to the patient’s clinical presentation. High frequency (above 500hz) penetrates shallow tissue which will inhibit pain, swelling, and nerve damage. In contrast, lower frequency (under 500Hz) targets deeper tissue which speeds the healing process and is specifically used when reproduction of new cells is required.

In this case, our beloved Pelican 21-372 received low-frequency laser therapy, during which 50Hz were administered throughout the treatment. As hoped, the laser therapy significantly improved wound proliferation with comfort and ease. Treatment times should be reduced as healing begins and the injury begins to show improvement. For example, if a 3” incision takes 3 minutes to treat, then a 2” one would take 2 minutes. Any additional photons delivered over the required dose will then become inhibitory, creating a plateau in the healing process. Physical treatments, medication, and the impressive work of the laser therapy made the wound healing so significant that pelican 21-372 was described as a “healing machine” by one of our staff members. Within 16 days of admission, the pelican was spending time outside in the sunny weather, and even flying around the enclosure. It was then that the final round of antibiotics and pain killers were administered, to allow for a few more days of active healing. Although the wound was healed, the Brown pelican needed more time to regain full extension of the wing. Without full extension of the patagium, the bird would not be able to fly. To help the Pelican on the path to regain full extension and fly our staff would do physical therapy on the patient as well as allow the patient to do its own physical therapy by being outside. After nearly four months of this arduous job, all of our efforts yielded great results and Pelican 21-372 was able to be released. Next time you are at the beach and see a pelican flying by, remember that wildlife is precious and take pride in knowing they will be protected and cared for!

The Wooden Fence of Terror

Written by: Kaisha Chaves Solomon, PHSS intern, and Operation Rescue and Release volunteer

The morning of September 4th, Operation Rescue and Release notified the group chat of an injured Virginia opossum located in coral gables. I was scheduled for my internship that day; therefore, I informed Pelican Harbor Seabird Station I'd be available to perform the rescue and transport it to the station. On arrival, I contacted the good samaritan that reported the injured Opossum, patient 1612. As she guided me to the backyard, she explained she found patient 1612 hanging by its arm caught in the crack of a wooden fence. How long the opossum found itself dangling from the wall is unknown. The finder and her husband freed the Virginia opossum from the barricade, but it was evident damage was done on the front left arm. Patient 1612 was kept in the corner of the fence and offered a mixture of fruits, yogurt, and egg until help arrived; although this was a healthy diet, providing food to an injured animal before the rescue isn't recommended. Onsite, patient 1612 seemed very stressed, so I used a towel to cover its head and proper gloves to carefully transport it into a box I had prepared with a towel inside. From there on, it was a quiet ride to the station.

When arriving at the clinic, Yaritza, one of pelican harbor seabird station's most talented and highly experienced wildlife rehabilitators, performed an intake exam on patient 1612. She concluded an x-ray was necessary to determine whether a fracture was present in the left front arm. I assisted with placing patient 1612, a now confirmed adult female, into a box to be weighed on the scale. She had a total weight of 2,545 grams, and staff indicated that I pull 90cc of subcutaneous fluids that would be given to her via subcutaneous fluid administration, an injection directly under the skin. The patient was placed under anesthesia to get a complete x-ray of her body. There was no indication of a fracture in her left arm; however, Yaritza discovered a fracture in the lower jaw on the left side. I transferred patient1612 from the x-ray table to the exam table. I assisted Yaritza by holding patient 1612's head and mouth open while she flushed and cleansed the bone exposure. Yaritza thought quickly on her feet and proceeded to sow three stitches in the lower jaw as a temporary solution to hold everything in place. Patient 1612 was given the following medications via intramuscular injection: Meloxicam, an anti-inflammatory drug; Buprenorphine, a pain reliever; Ivermectin, a medicine used to treat parasites; and finally, Excede, an antibiotic. Patient 1612 also received laser therapy for her swollen left arm to help reduce the inflammation and minimize the pain.

Dr. Schneider performed surgery a few days after intake to remove the underlying infectious tissue from the wound on her front arm. The wound was so infected that we treated it as an open wound. We would clean the wound daily and replace the bandage with a new wet to dry bandage. Wet to dry bandages are used with infected wounds to draw out the infection. Along with daily bandage changes we would also cleanse the fracture site of the jaw to prevent infection. She also received laser therapy on both the rostral mandibular fracture and left front arm. Unfortunately, as the days went by, patient 1612 refused to eat overnight, causing her to lose weight drastically. There was significant tissue and nerve damage on the left front arm; therefore, staff concluded the front left limb would never function again. Patient 1612 would not be suitable for release with amputation. Therefore, euthanization was the most humane outcome for the patient. 

In conclusion, homeowners must keep in mind our furry and nocturnal neighbors and be up to date with the maintenance of their property. You never know whose life you may be saving with a simple fence repair.

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