20 Jun 2022
But Phoenix rises again after avian specialist performs rare surgery to repair ruptured tendon in her foot.
James Westgate
Job Title
A Harris hawk has undergone a rare procedure to repair a ruptured tendon in its foot after being bitten by a squirrel.
Phoenix was taken to Sandhole Veterinary Centre in Kent where she was found to have an infected toe from the bite, with the infection spreading to cause more widespread damage and rupturing the tendon.
Normally, a ruptured tendon in the foot of a Harris hawk would result in an amputation rather than tendon repair, as it is a complex injury.
Suturing such a small tendon is extremely difficult and once the case is chronic, the ends of the tendon often get attached to surrounding structures, meaning they must first be identified, debrided and then sutured together.
However, Daniel Calvo Carrasco – an RCVS specialist in zoo and wildlife medicine, and European veterinary specialist in avian medicine and surgery – opted to carry out the rare surgery, assisted by vet nurse Debbie Addison.
Following the complex procedure, Phoenix was grounded for two weeks and underwent postoperative treatment, including physiotherapy, but has now made a strong recovery.
Dr Calvo Carrasco said: “We decided to try to save the foot in this case and used a three-loop pulley suture – a technique which is commonly used in larger animals such as dogs and cats.
“It worked well and surgery was successfully completed, with Phoenix making a positive recovery.”
