Lakeland's swans 'looked good' during annual vet checkup
Forty-four swans were collected on Lake Morton this week during the city of Lakeland's Swan Roundup, and the veterinarian who examined them concluded they "looked good," according to city spokesman Kevin Cook.
"We did have a few treated for mites. Two will need surgery: one with a cyst on the neck and one that has bumblefoot that needs medical attention," Cook said.
Bumblefoot is a bacterial infection of heavier waterfowl species that can cause lesions or abscesses.
Annual checkups: Ironically, the 44 swans were captured during the 44th annual Swan Roundup. The large, swimming birds, which have become a symbol for the city, are captured once a year in order to give them a full physical. They included:
City parks employees captured the birds by boat in the lake or by hand on the shore on Tuesday, placing them in holding pens for 24 hours to calm them down for Wednesday's vet exams.
The swan count was lower than in past years. In 2023, the city captured 50 birds, which was also lower than average. At least eight swans have died this year — hit by cars around the lake. The flock added to its population when cygnets hatched.
Veteran swan wranglers: Randall Pyle and Dustin Collins have both worked for the city for about 11 years, with Tuesday morning's roundup their ninth. They were a two-man team in a jon boat on Lake Morton Tuesday morning, with Pyle driving the boat and Collins lying on a platform on the front and using a net to capture the birds.
Pyle said the birds sense what was happening, with many scrambling to the center of the lake in a futile attempt to escape capture. "They go crazy when they see a boat in the water," Pyle said.
The roundup was delayed from Oct. 10 until Nov. 5 because of Hurricane Milton.
Full physical: All the swans were examined Wednesday morning by My Pet's Animal Hospital veterinarian Dr. Price Dickson, who gave them a full physical, checking their eyes, ears, nose, and weight.
"Every single one is identified by a microchip and so we scan their microchip, we look up their medical record, make sure they haven't had any issues in the past that we're monitoring, and then we give them a dose of ivermectin to deworm them," Dickson said. "They are out on the lake with wild birds and so they definitely do catch parasites,."
In addition, Dickson and her staff take blood samples from the older ones to check for disease.
Swan history: Lakeland has had a swan population for more than 100 years. The city government established a Swan Department to help oversee their care in 1926 when the swan population was 20, according to Lakeland Public Library records .
Learn more about the history of Lakeland's royal swans.
The Swan Roundup began in 1980 and has continued every year since then, first under veterinarian W.G. Gardner, followed by Dr. Patricia Mattson and now Dickson.
Donated services: My Pet's Animal Hospital donates their veterinary services year-round, Cook said.
"It costs about $10,000 each year to feed and care for Lakeland's domestic swans," Bob Donahay, director of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts, said in a press release. "We really appreciate the team at My Pet's Animal Hospital donating their time and equipment to help care for our flock."
Bumblefoot and diet: Dickson said she and her staff also do a thorough exam of the swans' feet, which she said tend to be a problem. Swans who are overweight and walking around on concrete or pavement can develop bumblefoot.
"They can get these sores called rambles on the bottom," Dickson said. "Those, sometimes, we need to do surgical procedures to manage. Sometimes, it's mostly a matter of making sure that they get some weight off and stay off the concrete."
Part of keeping weight off the birds is asking lake visitors not to feed the swans bread, but instead buy the bird food the city provides in small machines around the lake. If you want to bring food to the swans, Cook had a suggestion:
"Romaine lettuce is very good; they love it," he said. The swans are also fond of peas.
