We are licensed bat carers and are looking after a female adult common pipistrelle with a fracture near the distal end of her fifth digit; this is the digit nearest to where the wing joins the body. She has been keeping her wing closed and presumably, her other digits have been splinting the fracture.
Otherwise, she appears healthy; she now eats and drinks well and grooms frequently, maintaining a healthy, glossy coat. She enjoys running round a floor area and her tank is in a room inhabited by other pipistrelles.
I have not re-examined her wing, as I don't want to risk damaging the digit that might be healing, if she was to struggle to try to prevent me opening her wing.
Has anyone an idea of the timescale of digit fracture healing?
As we are licensed to keep bats for more than 6 months and she appears to be 'happy' in our care, if she does not regain use of her wing and to be fit for release (where she was originally found), we could keep her as an 'education' bat. After a quarantine period of 6 months, providing they got on together, she could move into a large vivarium with another female common pipistrelle.
Thanks for anyone's advice about this.
One thing I have not mentioned; the fracture I described above is a closed fracture. The skin has remained intact.
Dear Mary,
you are doing a wonderful job taking care of this wonderful and yet endangered species of bats. Thank you.
As regards fracture healing: In humans an uncomplicated, closed and not displaced fracture will heal in six to eight weeks. In the case of bats the time will be even shorter. After some time it will be safe to re-examine the digit and palpate for callus (thickening at he fracture site, a normal repair mechanism) and check gently the mobility of the bone above and below the fracture. Natural splinting by the adjacent digits will be sufficient. If not: taping left and right together (as we do with fractured toes or fingers in humans) would be an additional help - but probably no langer necessary at this stage of healing.
With best wishes for you and your pippistrella
Andy Wirz (with 40 years of surgical experience)
Dear Dr Wirz,
Thank you so much for your encouraging answer. We hoped that the fracture would mend as the other bones were splinting it. However, tonight (Sunday) we tried to fly her (for the first time), and she descended diagonally to the fleece beneath her (to break her fall). She then ran along the fleece, flapping her wings and hopping, slightly airborne, but only for a few inches. I then re-examined her wing and the fracture had not mended and was still unstable. I'm not sure about taping a bat's wing, but if her wing does not mend, we can keep her to help us with education. People who come to learn about bats love to see an actual bat! She eats well and grooms, and seems comfortable with us. She could share a large vivarium with another flightless female common pipistrelle.
Thanks again,
Mary
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