Paralyzed possum
mike b
excursion, I noticed a paralyzed possum dragging itself away from their
food dish. What a sad sight it was, no doubt it was clipped by a car.
Does anybody out there have any suggestions what to do? I'm sure it
doesn't live far and will no doubt come again for food.
When most people run over one of these guys,I'm sure they don't think
much of it when it is killed instantly by the tires,but to see this
animal drag it's limp body away was trully heart wrentching. Could it be
suffering from disease,informed responses to this please.
Kay Bullen at Hedgehog Helpline
mike b wrote in message <36A6D695...@home.com>...
I hope that perhaps someone local will have replied to you by now.
Personally I think the possum needs to be helped in some way. If it is
paralysed and this is permanent then it should be put to sleep. If there is
some disease about a local rehabilitator may well know about it.
Even if it seems to be coping it is likely that it will develop sores from
dragging itself about and these can become infected. Here in the UK when we
have hedgehogs with infected wounds in the hot weather the wounds attract
the flies which lay eggs on the animal and these hatch into maggots. The
maggots then eat the hedgehog alive. The other problem with paralysis is
that it can also affect the bladder and bowels. The bladder can fill up and
cannot be emptied - very painful. So seek help - if the injury is not
severe eg bad bruising the animal can be nursed back to health and released
if the possum will not make a full recovery then it is better for it to be
put to sleep sooner rather than later.
My comments above are based on the advice I would give re a hedgehog here in
the UK - it may be that where you are it is illegal to keep possums or treat
them or release them. Your legislation etc will need to be taken into
account.
A list of wildlife rehabilitators can be found at:
http://www.cc.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/devold/twrid/html/contact.htm
Good luck
Kay
---
Kay Bullen *Hedgehog Helpline * 01222 623985 (overseas: 44 1222 623985)
5, Foreland Road, Cardiff, WALES, UK, CF4 7AR
web site http://www.hedgehg.dircon.co.uk/hedgehogs
Registered Charity Number 1046156
smack
possums are usually fairly hardy animals and if you saw it dragging itself how fast was it going? cause for all we know it could have happened a long time ago and if so with back injury heald although paralysed it is still getting around.
a way to find out is to go to the council and hire a cat trap which is a steel box which you put food in and when a cat or in this case a possum goes in the cage shuts then you can take it to a vet to check it out. which area do you come from adelaide? or other? but anyhoo possums are generaly of the territorial type and will stay around if it is easy to get food and you will probably find that there is no real need to put down an animal that has come to terms with it's affliction and is taking care of it's self.
unlike some of these halfwitted people that see an animal with a crook leg and think ( LETS KILL THE POOR THING! ) i tend to think that if an animal like a human can limp or in this case haul itself along quite adequately even without a wheelchair then let it live if it is not showing pain.
