Just have to be very delicate here because I don't know where that...
I don't really know where that
spear or skewer is. So...
don't want to cause anymore injuries.
Marie Claude from rescue group Wise
has brought an injured Currawong into the Bondi clinic.
Okay, so could you just hold his beak there just so.
That's a strong beak you have got there. Yeah he's got my finger in it.
There you go.
You can see it goes through the top here.
But is that body or is that wing?
Let's just roll him gently.
Okay. So it's going through his wing.
Straight through.
So I don't really want to remove this
skewer here with him conscious because the stress of doing that
is going to be too much for him.
But also if a blood vessel is actually attached to that
and that ruptures. With him awake, he could bleed to death.
The only option we're left with really, is to perform surgery
with an anesthetic. But it's an anesthetic with risks.
And those risks are only increased
by the fact this Currawong isn't well.
He's looking lively enough
that I think he'll be able to handle an anesthetic.
Chris is starting the delicate surgery
to remove a skewer from the wing of a wild Currawong.
I just need to work out exactly what we're looking at here.
Looking at this now.
It's pretty clear.
I mean, you can see the skewer is at the heart
of the problem. But in turn it's actually created a second issue,
which is each time he moves, he actually spikes himself.
And that's where this abcess here has come from as well.
So today will have to take care of both problems.
When you consider that Arrow has been pierced with a skewer,
he's been barely able to fly and must have been in so much pain.
It's really a miracle he's even got this far.
You can see now,
the problem we're facing is that this skewer has been in for so long
it's actually become essentially a part of Arrow. I mean Arrow's
attached tissue to it and tried to live with it
when really it's doing him no good and he needs to let go of it.
But now his body just isn't wanting to.
Very well attached.
It's not coming through.
The fact this is an old injury makes it even more of a challenge
because not only are you
fighting against the body's best efforts to fix the problem itself,
but you also could be looking at a long standing infection.
Both those together make this, quite a difficult procedure.
So I'm having to be quite forceful and get in around the base of it
and take away all the attachments that the body just naturally forms
to anything that's foreign.
Should be enough. One final push.
There we go.
There it is. So you can just see how much there was hooked in there.
Arrow's ordeal isn't over yet.
Chris now needs to
remove the abscess that has formed around the skewer.
I'm just trying to neatly cut around the base of it.
That's actually not an abcess.
I think he may actually have another bit of skewer. Really?
You've got to feel the Arrow.
I mean, not only has he had to deal with that piece
of wood stuck into his body, but it turns out he's got another piece
right next to it. He's had to be a fighter. Hang in there buddy.
Okay.
Okay I'm ready to close up.
Get some stitches there.
I'm pretty happy. Looking good.
That's our last stitch there.
Alright so,
I'm hoping after being incredibly unlucky Arrow
he's just had his luck change.
Chris is making a house call with a special delivery.
Hello so? Hello. What happened?
We have good news, everything's gone really well.
When Marie Claude first brought Arrow into the clinic,
she was convinced that I'd say that he had to be put down.
So now to be able to bring him back to where it all began
minus the skewer, it's a good feeling.
So, you need to see the new Arrow.
Hey, look at him.
Alright so, he's looking lively.
Arrow will stay in Marie Claude's care for another six weeks.
Chris will then assess if he's well enough to be set free.
Probably the best plan is to give him some food for a few days.
Yes. Get his strength back.
And then once he's healed up a little bit more,
then he can be released.
That sound okay? Yes, we can take good care of him.
Hello, my bird.
This is food coming for you, before you go away, last meal
Six weeks after delicate surgery to remove a skewer
from its wing. Arrow
the Carrawong is full of energy and ready to receive
visitors.
Come through. Okay.
Looking forward to seeing him. So pleased to see you.
How's he been going? He's been doing very well I hope.
He's been eating and he's very active, he wants to go.
Look at him, he's not still at all is he? No, no, no.
He wants to go now.
And look, whatever you're doing, it's working because he is lively.
Probably the most encouraging thing that I can say in Arrow
right now is the fact that he's pacing the cage.
You got to remember, he's a wild bird
and he wants to be back in the wild.
And that right now is the most important sign.
And the great thing is
that this wing looks like it can function without any problem.
And that skewers missed all the bones,
all the blood vessels, luckily, and also the nerves.
So there should be no problem flying.
In fact pretty sure Arrows actually telling us that he's ready.
Oh, you're such a lucky bird.
Looking at Arrow's
wounds they've healed up incredibly well.
So there's no reason to hold this wild bird back.
It's time to send Arrow in the right direction.
It's you, it's all you. Go!
Trying to get inside the house.
No goodbyes, nothing.
Just went straight through.
I'm glad his ordeal is over.
And for me, you know,
watching an animal slowly die in front of you every day.
It was really stressful.
So you did good
for me too thank you Dr Chris. Your a beauty Marie Claude.
Well done to you, okay.