Here at Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, we are always looking for new ways that we can improve our service for the wild birds of prey who are brought into our Raptor Hospital. We have recently acquired a new digital microscope which will allow us to screen samples on site, rather than having to send them off to our local vets. This not only saves us a considerable amount of money, but time, as we appreciate that local vets are very busy helping domestic animals.
Jess, using the new microscope to screen a faecal sample for parasites.
Jess, who runs our Raptor Hospital says:
Having this diagnostic facility means we can triage new patients in the hospital much more thoroughly before administering treatment, and also offer our centre birds regular health checks and triage any new health issues that arise without a wait time. Working alongside Elliot for diagnosis means we can treat issues like parasite burdens and intestinal issues much sooner than if we were to rely on an off-site diagnostic service. In many cases the speed of diagnosis means treatment is much more thorough and successful. It also means we can gather more specific documentation of the health of local wild bird populations too, and the frequency of parasitic and bacterial loads that we see arriving at the centre (and also treat accordingly)
Image taken from the microscope of worm eggs identified in a faecal sample taken from a recent admission.
We are very grateful to Shadwell Charities Committee and Animal Survival International for their kind donations which have enabled us to purchase this equipment from Iolight microscopes and to Elliott Simpson for his continued support in all veterinary matters.