Koala Name: Medowie Merri

Rescued: October 2023

Released: March 2024

Reason Merri came into care: Merri was brought to Port Stephens Koala Hospital after she was seen being hit by not one, but two, cars along Nelson Bay Road in the very early hours of the morning. A kind member of the public stopped to assist her and prevent her sustaining further injury. Unfortunately, the joey that Merri was carrying on her back was not as lucky as Merri and quickly died of the injuries sustained.

The member of the public rang our rescue line, where the phone operator quickly established that Merri needed specialist care and contacted our veterinary nurse, who lived nearby the location, and was able to attend at 2am. The veterinary nurse acted quickly to pick up Merri, give her a quick assessment and positioned in her travel basket so she was able to breathe a little better due to her broken nose. Merri was then transferred to the Hospital where she received emergency veterinary care with the assistance of the vet on call.

Treatment provided: Initially, Merri was provided with pain relief to ensure that she was comfortable, and her condition was able to stabilise. Once stabilised, Merri was given a health check that included, radiographs, ultrasound and blood tests which confirmed that she had sustained several injuries including fractures to her nose, leg, eye and jaw. Through    her 8 weeks of intensive care, Merri was provided with pain relief, antibiotics and surgery to splint her leg. Due to her fractured jaw, she was also fed specialised supplement to ensure she received the nutrients she needed to heal.

Estimated cost of treatment while in care; Over $4,000