Scales and Tales Training Follow-up

Scales and Tales Training Follow-up

Guest Blogger - Sarah Milbourne

Wrapping an Injured Wing: the Figure 8, the Figure 8 Neck Sling and the Figure 8 Body Wrap.

Often we are faced with birds in need of wing support. Birds with recent breaks or birds with old healing breaks/injuries may require wraps to secure the wing into place. Two key elements are important for possible breaks not yet diagnosed by a veterinarian: fracture/injury type and location. This information is critical in deciding how to secure the bird for transport.  Ask yourself, will the bandaging cause the bird more stress or will it possibly alter the outcome, in favor of release?  In the end, you want to provide a wrap that is least restrictive to the bird, provides the most support through immobilization, and does not affect the bone by misaligning the break. 

Figure 8 wraps are good for many beaks.  They often hold the wing in place and small sections of cardboard can be placed on bones to isolate the break and give it added support.  In smaller to mid size birds, the use of the body wrap should be added. In larger birds, a neck sling is often crucial to protect the further injury that too much gravity can inflict.

The Tools:  Pick the size of the vet wrap or co-flex based on the size of the bird (or cut/tear to size.  Of note, vet wrap tears beautifully, co-flex has to be cut). Only use blue, purple, or green colors (dark blue preferred).  Reds and pinks look like blood and the bird may pick at the wrap.  Screech owls/kestrels, use 1/2" wraps (cut to size), mid size birds use 1" wraps, and great horned owls and eagles generally need a 2" wrap. The length is based on the ability to secure the wrap well. Smaller birds generally need no more than 8-10" and larger birds may require up to one and a half rolls of the wrap. Have multiple sizes of sturdy cardboard ready to go if there is an obvious break in need of strict immobilization.  If place on an area, it should be done on top of one series of wraps before becoming part of the structure.

The figure 8. Start at the wrist using vet wrap/co-flex (self-adhering wrap).  Unroll the whole wrap (and any additional wraps you feel you may use to loosen the material.  Wrap from the outside of the wing in a clockwise direction, starting at the wrist (ulna and radius) and loop in a figure 8 fashion behind the humerus and over the lower portion of the secondary and primary feathers. (See video for demonstration).

The use of larger swaths of wrap down around the humerus and primary and secondary feathers may be appropriate to protect blood feathers that may be coming in while the bird is in a restrictive state. 

Owls generally pick on any bandaging and often can cause a lot of damage to themselves in the process. Cover any vet wrap (on an owl) with masking tape.  This is mostly only necessary for the upper side and wrist area---any areas facing the owls face or within biting reach. Once done, create tabs by starting on the surface of the wrap with a piece of tape, adhering to itself by folding in half, leaving just enough on the other end to adhere back again to the surface.   Install the tabs in easy to reach places to give the owl something to pick at instead of the actual wrap. Owls have to be monitored regularly to make sure they haven't pulled the masking tape-covered vet wrap into a constricting position. 

The picture shows the wrap of a smaller bird where the wrist is not wrapped as formally as a bigger bird.

 In this case, the wrap is concentrated around the humerus and ulna/radius sections of the wing to create the figure 8. Bigger birds often need protection and cushion on the wrist or it will suffer injury as the bird attempts to move around.  Therefore, it is best to apply the wrap completely around this area (sometimes adding a gauze padding to make additional cushion or to cover a pin). This "wrist bumper" is a very important piece to protecting mid size to larger birds.  

The Figure 8 Neck Sling: The following video and pictures show the way to wrap a larger bird with a figure 8, including the neck sling to give greater support for the heavier-weighted wing of a larger bird and gauze cushioning for a bone pin that is protruding. If the bird is supporting the weight of the wing (generally only weeks after an injury), it may be unnecessary to use a sling.  Use your best tool---compare wings while the bird is perched on a level surface. 

Large owls that need extra support are an exception to the rule regarding neck slings.Owls almost always pick at bandaging and therefore, require a cover or use of masking tape to protect against removal. Therefore, use a body wrap as opposed to the neck sling. Masking tape should not be adhered around a neck but can be safely placed around the body, making certain to add lots of tabs to divert attention from the primary bandaging.

Please insert pictures of live bird here (pictures in order, skeletal diagram first, and successive 1-4 of the process) and the video.

Video Link

The Figure 8 with Body Wrap: ​

Smaller birds with severe droop or in need of additional immobilization (possibly due to the state of the animal --if they are fighting and causing more damage) may need a body wrap. This wrap will keep the figure 8 from slipping or hanging. The figure 8 wrap is fixed into position by adhering to the body wrap, which runs under and over the figure 8 wrap.  Refer to the below picture for an example of the body wrap.

  Beginning on the back, bring the wrap under the affected wing, making sure to flatten body feathers to their natural position and keeping free ​the ​feathers of the wing. The wrap continues across the middle of the keel (palpate to be certain you have found the middle) and under the unaffected wing to allow movement in this wing. This often allows the bird some balance in transport. The wrap overlaps on the back and is now brought over the top of the affected wing. The body wrap can be used without a figure 8 wrap in coracoid fractures and cases where extensive swelling has occurred. Ensure that the body wrap does not restrict respiration. This can be measured in bigger birds by placing two fingers (lying flat on the chest under the wrap) or in smaller birds, by using one pen or toothbrush handle as a gauge. Use masking or painters tape for this wrap as it will not damage feathers and will adhere to restrict the bird's ability to remove the wrap. Vet wrap can slip out of place and cause more issues​ with constriction and ​may misalign a break.  

Feel free to practice this process on "even keel" birds, small and large, to become comfortable in the process.  Vet wrap can be used over and over in this training to familiarize yourself and learn the techniques to make you successful in providing medical aid to our birds.  Use a Ace bandage and practice on a human holding their arm like a bird---you'll be surprised how much easier this makes it when you do the real thing!