St. Paul may seem like a long way to drive for a simple vet visit, but The Raptor Center has some of the most raptor-savvy veterinarians and technicians in the world. When we step out of the elevator and enter the clinic, I know the birds are going to be in good hands.
I stood carefully out of the way as the clinic staff moved Carson the Red-tailed Hawk to the exam table and began her annual health check. This procedure always takes at least two people. One person with thick leather gloves restrains feet and wings. They also have the important job of monitoring the bird's breathing patterns and stress level throughout the procedure. With the bird secure, the second person is able to begin the exam.
Dr. Dana moved systematically through her exam, checking feather condition, trimming talons, listening to the heartbeat, and peering into Carson's eyes (while we waited, Dr. Dana commented, "raptors have a lot of retina, so it takes a while to see it all"). She also felt joint movement and flexibility in each wing:
Through the joint tests, Dr. Dana looked for progressing arthritis in Carson's injured wing. Luckily there were signs of improvement from last year, indicating that medications were helping Carson feel more comfortable with her injury.
At the end of a Raptor Center visit, I always feel a sense of relief. If they find a problem, they know just how to treat it. Luckily this visit had an even better ending with reassurance that the birds are both doing well.
We packed the birds back into the van and merged onto I-35W to head out of the cities. After a white-knuckle drive through a snowstom and an unplanned stop in Siren to wait out the rest of the storm at a hotel, we finally returned home the following morning where each bird had a big mouse waiting for breakfast.
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