Jackie the Big Bear bald eagle ‘still very sick,’ long recovery ahead; Cause of illness remains unknown
BIG BEAR, Calif. (KESQ) - Two weeks after the attack on Jackie, the Big Bear bald eagle is still anemic, officials said, and she faces a long recovery.
The Ojai Raptor Center, which is treating Jackie, shared an update on Friday.
"Today's bloodwork continues to show anemia, although her packed cell volume (PCV) has improved to 17%. She remains stable, but she is still a very sick patient and has a long recovery road ahead," reads a post by the non-profit.
Chris Eksteen, Ojai Raptor Center Executive Director, said Jackie's bloodwork also shows leukocytosis, an elevated white blood cell count, which tells officials her body is responding to inflammation, stress, or a possible infection.
Jackie has been receiving treatment after being found on the ground on Big Bear Lake following a confrontation with two other bald eagles.
Eksteen revealed that the encounter with eagles likely left her grounded, but experts do not believe it is what caused her illness.
"What we are seeing suggests that she has been unwell for some time before she was found," Eksteen said.
Eksteen added that they still don't have answers as to what is making Jackie sick, but they know much more now than they did before.
"So far we have ruled out zinc and lead toxicosis, aspergillosis, rodenticide toxicosis, and renal disease," Eksteen said in Friday's update.
Clinically, Jackie remains stable, but she is very sick.
The next steps include monitoring the blood and white cell levels frequently and testing for less common heavy metal toxicosis, although the results of this highly specialized test would be available in several weeks.
Staff at the Ojai center will also monitor Jackie's lungs are monitoring her lungs with radiographs, and an additional CT scan is planned once her PCV levels are a little bit higher.
Eksteen said recovery will take weeks, if not months.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.
