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Gwinnett Forum: December 11 Nutcracker performance features Bill Kress

A Tale of Two Birds

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Athens, Ga. — There is no better example of two birds of a feather flocking together than that of Bugsy and Bobo, the barred owl.

Bugsy is a cockatoo who leads a lavish life. Bugsy is the beloved companion of magician Bill Kress from Commerce, Ga. Bugsy lives in an aviary in Kress's spacious home and is a performer by night, delighting crowds as a star of Kress's magic shows, as well as a being a featured performer during the holidays in the Nutcracker performances of the Gwinnett Ballet Theater. Bugsy is coddled by Kress and adored by her fans, as evidenced by the dozens of emails Bugsy received when she fell ill.

“Bugsy is my baby,” says Kress of his avian friend. “Bugsy and I are bonded.”

There is no pampered life for the barred owl, affectionately named Bobo by the VTH staff. Bobo flies the evening skies around the University of Georgia living a carefree, if not isolated, life.

But it was through lucky timing and good fortune that these birds came together at UGA's Veterinary Teaching Hospital, where Bobo saved Bugsy's life.

Bugsy arrived at the UGA VTH early December, the victim of a noise that spooked her as she was going to her dressing room after exiting the stage at one of the season’s Nutcracker performances. An unexpected flight and sudden plummet to the ground caused Bugsy to severely fracture her wing. An evaluation by Dr. Joerg Mayer, associate professor of zoological medicine at UGA, showed she would have to undergo a long and extensive surgery to insert some pins into the wing for recovery.

According to Mayer, Bugsy did not do well following the complicated surgery. Despite an IV with pain medicine, Bugsy was lethargic and fading fast. A blood test showed that she had suffered some blood loss and there was a fear that she might pass away during the night.

Then fate intervened. A Good Samaritan had brought in Bobo after he flew into a building on UGA's sprawling campus. Although blood work is not normally ordered for wildlife patients, Bobo had some drawn in an attempt to determine his injuries. Because of this blood work, it was determined that he had a good blood profile and one that might give Bugsy the chance she needed until another cockatoo blood donor could be found.

“Birds have no blood type,” explained Mayer. “While it would have been better to have a cockatoo's blood for the transfusion, there was not a lot of time to find the ideal donor.”

The decision was made to make Bobo Bugsy's blood donor, and immediately after the transfusion, Bugsy was on the road to recovery.

“Within minutes,” recalls Mayer, “Bugsy perked up and that brought her through the night. Birds regenerate blood quickly.” And, it was Bobo who led the VTH Zoological Medicine team to find an ideal match. While calling avian rescue groups on behalf of Bobo, Mayer was able to connect with a local woman who had two cockatoos who she graciously allowed to be donors for another transfusion for Bugsy.

A few days later, Bugsy had a heart-warming reunion with her owner and, today, is well on the road to recovery. While at the same time, Bobo was released to a wildlife rehabilitator to recuperate, after which time he will return to the open skies.

And, while Bugsy will not return to magical theater until she is fully recovered, she continues to be the recipient of fortunate timing and good medicine.

“The love they show for the animals... it's not just a job, it's a passion,” Kress comments of the medical team at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. “I'm the magician, but they do the magic.”

The UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, founded in 1946, is dedicated to training future veterinarians, to conducting research related to animal and human diseases, and to providing veterinary services for animals and their owners. Research efforts are aimed at enhancing the quality of life for animals and people, improving the productivity of poultry and livestock, and preserving a healthy interface between wildlife and people in the environment they share. The college enrolls 102 students each fall out of more than 560 who apply. For more information, see www.vet.uga.edu.

The current UGA College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital, built in 1979, serves more than 18,000 patients per year in one of the smallest teaching hospitals in the United States. The college is currently working to raise $15 million toward building a new Veterinary Medical Learning Center, which will include a new teaching hospital as well as classrooms and laboratories that will allow for the education of more veterinarians.

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December 5

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Bugsy the Moluccan cockatoo came into the VTH in early December with a broken wing. Our specialists in exotics and orthopedics were able to stabilize Bugsy's condition, perform a blood transfusion with blood taken from a barred owl, and then perform surgery to repair the broken bone. In the images above, Bugsy is shown in the pre-op preparation room with veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and veterinary students. Veterinary student Amanda Brown, class of 2012, checks Bugsy's vitals.

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Several days following Bugsy's surgery, her owner, Mr. Bill Kress, came to visit her in the exotics ward. Veterinary student Helen Smith (top left), class of 2012, helped manage Bugsy's case. Dr. Joerg Mayer (hand, bottom left), points to Bugsy's fracture, shown in a digital radiograph. Mr. Kress (bottom right) fed Bugsy fruit and held her while he discussed her case and recovery with Dr. Joerg Mayer.

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After remaining at the VTH for over a week, Bugsy was well enough to return home with her owner, Mr. Bill Kress. Bugsy is an estimated 20 years old (in 2011), and has appeared with Mr. Kress in the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center production of The Nutcracker for the last 14 years. She missed this year's performances because of her injury.

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Dr. Jordan Gentry is shown with a barred owl in the exotics ward. Bugsy received a blood transfusion from a barred owl that had been brought into the UGA Wildlife Treatment Center. Bird blood does not have "types" as human blood does, and while blood from the same species of bird is preferred, the blood Bugsy received from the barred owl helped to save her life.