A miracle? Norfolk eaglet's gruesome growth is gone

Posted to: News Norfolk

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BEFORE: For seven weeks, a gruesome growth on the beak of the Norfolk Botanical Garden's baby eagle was fretted over, consulted on and finally scheduled for surgery. (Courtesy of Wildlife Center of Virginia)

By Debbie Messina
The Virginian-Pilot
© July 11, 2008

For seven weeks, a gruesome growth on the beak of the Norfolk Botanical Garden's baby eagle was probed, tested, photographed, treated, medicated, webcast, fretted over, consulted on and finally scheduled for surgery.

Now, the growth is gone.

Experts at the Wildlife Center of Virginia, near Waynesboro - where the eaglet is being treated for avian pox - say it simply fell off.

There's not even a trace of it in the eaglet's enclosure.

"I don't even want to think about what happened to it after it came off," Randy Huwa, center spokesman, said.

The eaglet's immune system "was obviously doing its job," said veterinarian Dave McRuer. Over the past couple of weeks, the growth had been shrinking and drying out.

Surgery to remove the mass was scheduled for Saturday. The center is still bringing

in renowned veterinarian

R. Avery Bennett from the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois.

The experts still have to deal with the eaglet's crooked beak, which was misshapen by the mass. The options include reshaping through surgery or using a tension device.

Or doing nothing at all to see whether the beak heals itself as well.

Debbie Messina, (757) 446-2588, debbie.messina@pilotonline.com

Thats Great!!!

Submitted by Rerun50 on Thu, 07/10/2008 at 8:29 pm.

There are some birds, that have been pooping all over my car. When the little fellow, gets big enough to hunt. I wonder can I borrow him or her, for a couple of weeks.

More evidence that proves we

Submitted by joanie06 on Thu, 07/10/2008 at 8:17 pm.

More evidence that proves we should not try to mess with nature.

Misplaced Prioriies

Submitted by fergus on Thu, 07/10/2008 at 6:53 pm.

Now don't get me wrong. I enjoy birds as much as the next one,but the people who spent all that time fretting over a bird have their priorities mixed up. Just think of the people including children who have died since this bird was hospitalized and fussed over. How many of those now deceased, might have benefited from time and effort spent on THEM by these highly intelligent people? Those fretting over the bird should have gone into professions that might have SAVED a HUMAN LIFE. Even if these people hadn't gone into the medical profession,they still could have spent their time in hospices giving comfort to human beings rather than worry about that bird. God gave that bird life,and God will take it off the planet according to his calendar,not mans.

Good for the bird!

Submitted by KennyW on Thu, 07/10/2008 at 5:53 pm.

I have enjoyed reading the series of articles about this bird with the mass growing on his beak. It reminds me of how it felt when I was a teenager to watch a huge pimple develop on my face and eventually disappear. After a while I didn't worry about it, I just let them run their course. I hope he doesn't get a new one as fast me and friends did in junior high school.

insurance

Submitted by jfr on Thu, 07/10/2008 at 5:03 pm.

The costs for this eaglet's entire treatment along with the other animals being cared for at WCV are funded thru donations and the fund raisers of caring hard working people.

Insurance

Submitted by D.E. on Thu, 07/10/2008 at 4:07 pm.

Hope the baby bird has a good health insurance plan. This has got to cost an increadable amount for all this treatment, and I'm worried it may not have adequate insurance or a way to pay for it. Maybe we ought to put a jar with the birds picture on it on the counter of all the area's convenience stores to raise funds for these treatments along with all the other jars on the counter for local citizens who need life saving treatments that they can't afford because they are not insured or under-insured.