Wild Patients

Lorelei Tibbetts, the practice manager at the hospital, checks on patients in the morning. The two bright-blue budgies arrived the previous day, she explains. “The owner found them having seizures after a hot day,” says Tibbetts. A seizure occurs when there’s unusual activity in the brain, which can cause muscle spasms in the body. The budgies’ owner feared the little birds were suffering from heatstroke, or overheating.

Not a bad guess, but it didn’t sound quite right to the hospital staff. Although it’s possible for any bird to overheat at high enough temperatures, it’s not common in budgies. In the wild, this parakeet species is native to the hot, dry Australian Outback. The veterinary staff performed blood tests and found high levels of lead, a toxic metal, in the birds’ blood. Lead poisoning had caused the seizures.

Many old apartment buildings contain lead paint. Budgies are naturally curious and explore their environment by pecking. These two patients likely ingested flakes of lead paint, and the toxin built up in their bodies. To help the budgies, veterinarians injected a chemical compound to remove lead from their blood, and by this morning they’ve started to recover.

Lorelei Tibbetts is the practice manager at the hospital. She checks on patients in the morning. The two bright-blue budgies arrived yesterday, she explains. “The owner found them having seizures after a hot day,” says Tibbetts. A seizure happens when there’s unusual activity in the brain. This can cause muscle spasms in the body. The budgies’ owner worried that the little birds were suffering from heatstroke, or overheating.

That wasn’t a bad guess. But it didn’t sound quite right to the hospital staff. Any bird could overheat at high enough temperatures, but it’s not common in budgies. In the wild, this parakeet species lives in the hot, dry Australian Outback. The staff did blood tests and found high levels of lead in the birds’ blood. It’s a toxic metal. Lead poisoning had caused the seizures.

Many old apartment buildings contain lead paint. Budgies are curious, and they explore by pecking. These two patients probably swallowed flakes of lead paint, and the toxin built up in their bodies. Veterinarians gave the budgies a shot of a chemical to remove lead from their blood. By this morning, they’ve started to get better.

Soon Anthony Pilny, one of the center’s three veterinarians, comes into the ward. He glances at his patients in the wall of cages. “Looks like a big day for rabbits,” he says.

Pilny examines Gino, a black-and-white male rabbit. Gino was found abandoned outdoors and ended up at a shelter, which sent him to the hospital. His fur is ragged, and he has a few small scabs, probably from bite wounds. An abscess, or pus-filled sac, almost the size of a golf ball is on his hindquarters.

“Rabbits are very prone to big abscesses,” explains Pilny. When a wound gets infected, the body tries to close off the infection in a sac of tissue to prevent it from spreading. As the body fights the infection, pus made of dead cells builds up in the sac.

Soon Anthony Pilny enters the room. He’s one of the center’s three veterinarians. He glances at his patients in the wall of cages. “Looks like a big day for rabbits,” he says.

Pilny checks Gino, a black-and-white male rabbit. Gino was left on his own outside. He ended up at a shelter, which sent him to the hospital. His fur is ragged, and he has a few small scabs. They’re probably from bite wounds. He has an abscess, or pus-filled sac, on his hip. The sac is almost the size of a golf ball.

“Rabbits are very prone to big abscesses,” explains Pilny. When a wound gets infected, the body forms a sac of tissue around the infection. This keeps it from spreading. Pus made of dead cells builds up in the sac as the body fights the infection.

In many mammals, molecules called enzymes break down the pus into a liquid. “With a dog or a cat, you can just drain the fluid from it,” says Pilny. But rabbits are different. Their bodies lack the enzymes that break down pus. Instead it hardens in place, like dried cottage cheese.

Pilny decides to take care of Gino’s abscess and perform sterilization surgery—removal of the reproductive organs—at the same time. New York City law requires shelter animals to be sterilized before adoption. A technician puts a mask over the rabbit’s nose. It delivers anesthetic gas that renders Gino unconscious and prevents him from feeling pain. With quick incisions, Pilny sterilizes the rabbit in just a few minutes.

Then Pilny punctures a hole the size of a pencil eraser in the abscess. “It’s going to be gross,” he warns as he squeezes out the thick pus using his fingers and washes out the sac. He’s right: It is gross. But it’s worth it: “That abscess was probably very painful. He should feel much better now,” says Pilny as Gino wakes up. After recovering from surgery and receiving medicine to fight the infection that caused the abscess, Gino will be ready to be adopted from the shelter.

Molecules called enzymes break down the pus in many mammals. The pus turns into a liquid. “With a dog or a cat, you can just drain the fluid from it,” says Pilny. Rabbits are different. Their bodies don’t have these enzymes. So the pus hardens, like dried cottage cheese.

Pilny gets ready to treat Gino’s abscess. At the same time, he’ll do sterilization surgery to remove the rabbit’s reproductive organs. New York City law says that shelter animals must be sterilized before adoption. A technician puts a mask over the rabbit’s nose. It delivers anesthetic gas that knocks Gino out. It also stops him from feeling pain. Pilny makes quick cuts. He sterilizes the rabbit in a few minutes.

Then Pilny cuts into the abscess. He makes a hole the size of a pencil eraser. “It’s going to be gross,” he warns. He squeezes out the thick pus with his fingers, and he washes out the sac. He’s right: It is gross. But it’s worth it. “That abscess was probably very painful. He should feel much better now,” says Pilny. Gino wakes up. He will take medicine to fight the infection that caused the abscess. After he’s better, he can be adopted from the shelter.

After two more rabbit examinations and surgeries, Pilny gives a guinea pig a checkup and takes a tissue sample from a large tumor on a hamster’s shoulder. After observing the cells under a microscope, he suspects the abnormal growth is a type that can be surgically removed. Other vets trim the beak and claws of a budgie and comb out matted fur on a rabbit.

This day at the clinic is fairly tame. But some days, really weird creatures slither, flap, or crawl onto the exam tables. The hospital has treated ducks, tropical animals such as raccoon-like coatimundis and kinkajous, and even an adult alligator.

Pilny does two more rabbit exams and surgeries. He gives a guinea pig a checkup. Then he turns to a hamster with a large tumor on its shoulder. He takes a tissue sample from this abnormal growth. After he sees the cells under a microscope, he thinks he can remove the tumor with surgery. Other vets trim a budgie’s beak and claws, and they comb out a rabbit’s matted fur.

Not every day at the clinic is this tame. Sometimes strange creatures slither, flap, or crawl onto the exam tables. The hospital has treated ducks and tropical animals such as kinkajous and raccoon-like coatimundis. It’s even treated an adult alligator.

“A lot of the animals that we see really shouldn’t be kept as pets,” says Pilny (see Not Your Average Pets). Cats and dogs have been domesticated, or adapted to living with humans, for thousands of years. But many exotic pets aren’t suited to life in captivity, and many owners aren’t prepared to provide the specialized care they need.

For example, reptiles require special lights (that mimic sunlight) to help absorb calcium—an essential nutrient for healthy bones. The bulbs are expensive and must be replaced every few months. Some reptiles are insectivores—they eat insects. “People are too freaked out to feed the animal bugs,” says Pilny, “but that’s what it needs to eat!” Without a proper diet or correct lighting, these pets can become ill.

“Many animals we see are also illegal to own,” says Pilny (see map). “But aside from cases of cruelty or neglect, we don’t report anything,” he says. “We just provide the best medical care we can.”

For example, reptiles need special lights that imitate sunlight. This helps them absorb calcium, a nutrient needed for healthy bones. The bulbs are expensive and must be replaced every few months. Some reptiles are insectivores—they eat insects. “People are too freaked out to feed the animal bugs,” says Pilny, “but that’s what it needs to eat!” These pets must have the right food and lighting, or they can get sick.

“Many animals we see are also illegal to own,” says Pilny (see map). “But aside from cases of cruelty or neglect, we don’t report anything. We just provide the best medical care we can.”