UPDATE: “Pierce” the goose status remains uncertain

We have been getting asked how Pierce, the Canada goose that was found at Cook Pond in Fall River with an arrow lodged across its body, has been doing so we contacted Dr. Priya Patel of New England Wildlife Centers to get an update.

““Pierce” the goose continues to recover in our hospital. His vitals are slowly stabilizing but he is still not strong enough to undergo another surgical procedure. We have been providing nutritional support, pain meds, antibiotics, wound care with a honey bandage treatment and he is almost through with his first round of chelation therapy to lower the level of lead in his body. We are hoping that after this first course of treatments he will then be more stable for recheck radiographs and surgical wound debridement to remove any remaining necrotic tissue. Our vet team has also discovered that the arrow fractured a portion of his keel bone upon impact. The keel bone helps anchor the pectoral muscles which are essential to flight, and helps protect the internal organs behind the bone. If this arrow had landed even a few inches further into the body, it would have likely been a fatal shot. Due to his multiple injuries, infection, lead poisoning, and muscle trauma Pierce’s prognosis is still uncertain, but for now he is resting comfortably and we will continue to do everything we can to help him return to the wild.”