I am a volunteer for a licensed rehabber here in fl, and i have concerns for the decisions made for a recent deer that had barb wire cuts which were sutured by our vet. my question is, would that deer have had a better chance of survival by releasing it immediately after it was sutured or by taking it and putting it in a crate heated with a heating pad and keeping it covered then maybe releasing it the next day or a few days later? my gut tells me, being a yearling and only needing sutures, even though it was 39 degrees outside, it may have survived by being released after waking from the anesthesia, but the rehabber chose the crate and heating pad were it was found dead by morning. which would have been the best decision? I know deer are very sensitive to capture and if it had to be kept overnight for whatever reason, it may have been better to put it down instead, even if the cuts needed suturing? I just want to help make the best decision if it happens again.
