Bat treatment experience in Bat Rehabilitation Center of Feldman Ecopark in 2017 year


Bat rehabilitation process is highly connected with findings of wounded or ill bats. Thus, it is an urgent need to study methods of treatment and understand primordial problems of diseases. Subsequently, this knowledge could be applied to the conservation of rare and vulnerable species in city. We rely on studies about treatments, feeding and rehabilitation of bats during our work (Bat World Sanctuary, 2005, Péče o nalezené, zraněné a hendikepované netopýry Metodika ČSOP 2009). From February to October 2017, the most frequent problem has been a limb fracture. Unfortunately, it takes often two or more days, until bat comes to rehabilitation. As a result, most of the wounds are purulent and contain necrotic tissues. Thus, the only way to save the life of an individual is to amputate a limb. 20 animals with fractures have come to rehabilitation over eight months (from February to October 2017). There were 16 individuals of Eptesicus serotinus (11 males and 5 females; 7 adults, 7 yearlings and 2 juveniles) and four individuals of Nyctalus noctula (adult females). There were 12 individuals with open fractures of wing bones and 2 individuals with closed fractures. Two individuals had fractures of phalanges. There was one closed fracture of a femur and one open fracture. Two individuals had lacerated wound of a wing. The course of antibiotics with a duration of three-five days was used for the treatment of open purulent fractures before surgery. We used Enrofloxacin and Cephalexin. Enrofloxacin was used for 18 cases with a duration more than 14 days. Cephalexin was used for six cases, sometimes as additional antibiotics. For premedication and postoperative analgesia, we used Butorphanol in a dose of 0.005 ml per 25 g with Meloxicam. It was reported that usage of a combination of these drugs resulted in behaviour and appetite improvement of bats during the postoperative period. In order to disinfect and moisten the suture surface, we used the ointment Levomecol (consisted of Chloramphenicol and Methyluracil) and the hydrogel Microcyn. It was noticed, that rates of healing of sutures differed. Sutures healed up during 18-28 days using Levomecol. In contrast, healing up of sutures took 12-18 days using Microcyn. As a result of rehabilitation, we have 13 cases of recovery – 2 individuals of Nyctalus noctula and 11 individuals of Eptesicus serotinus. There were 7 lethal cases – 2 individuals of Nyctalus noctula and 5 individuals of Eptesicus serotinus.

A. Domanska, A. Prylutska , A. Vlaschenko ,O. Holovchenko, V. Kovalov, A. Orlenko. Bat treatment experience in Bat Rehabilitation Center of Feldman Ecopark in 2017 year/ Abstracts of XXVI Ogólnopolska Konferencja Chiropterologiczna Wieżyca. 2017, Poland

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