This fox was given some of the best treatment by a Bristol vet. Thoroughly checked over they even took full X-rays of it which is almost unbelievable but Sarah Mills' continued educating and talking to vets does pay off.
This is interesting in that we get a good look at a fox's internal structure while it is still alive rather than the usual post mortem views.
The X-ray showed that the fox had a minor fracture and just needed rest. As Bristol has no wildlife facility Sarah Mills transported it to Vale Wildlife Hospital in Gloucestershire to recover.
The last two images show the mild fracture. There was talk of pinning the fracture although this was later ruled out. It came as a shock when I was told that the fox had been put down and that he was not placing his foot down at all. Foxes can and do live active lives like this and even with a back or front leg missing -I posted about this here:
https://foxwildcatwolverineproject.blogspot.com/2024/08/fox-leg-amputation-reason-to-kill.html
However, on this occasion it turns out that the staff were "gutted" as "they had all fallen in love with him".
He was been put to sleep as he was found to have high bilirubin levels. High bilirubin levels (hyperbilirubinemia) in wild canids is similar to domestic dogs and indicate underlying health issues such as liver disease, hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells), or bile duct obstructions. This condition results in jaundice (icterus)—a yellowing of the skin, eyes, and gums.
As much as we try to save a fox there are things that we can do nothing about and Vale did the best they could in this case.
