Can a critter whose lung has been punctured survive if the bullet remains in his lung?

[Jon Bischof]

The question, specifically, is in the case of an animal who has a small diameter puncture to one lung, but the bullet remains in that lung. Some critters can and do survive a puncture to one lung.
My question is this: will the bullet that remains in that lung eventually kill him? Or, can he recover and live with a small bullet in his lung?

 

[Bucklowery]

I believe some will some will not. The immune system will isolate the foreign object and heal. While some will not and infection will eventually take over

Thanks

Buck

 

[Jon Bischof]

I believe some will some will not. The immune system will isolate the foreign object and heal. While some will not and infection will eventually take over

Thanks

Buck

I suspect that this answer may come close to the complicated truth.

 

[digger11]

Not if you shoot it again…..Sorry

 

[HARPERC]

Yes!

 

[brcfo_outdoors]

I am assuming it applies to animals, but if the air from the punctured lung leaks into the thoracic cavity it can cause tension pneumothorax which would kill them pretty fast.

 

[Jon Bischof]

I am assuming it applies to animals, but if the air from the punctured lung leaks into the thoracic cavity it can cause tension pneumothorax which would kill them pretty fast.

Thanks, that is the kind of specific info I was hoping for.
My assumption is that the animal has a greater rate of survival and recovery if the bullet is not still in the lung, but perhaps one could recover and carry the bullet for life.

 

[memtb]

Yes……can survive!

I got a .177 cal pellet in my left lung at 12 yo…..I'm 71+ yo now, and still carry that pellet in my lung. In my 20's I ran quite a few marathons….several under 3 hours. My only treatment when in the hospital was bed rest and antibiotics.

If a skinny little 12 yo human can survive a lung wound……certainly a deer can. Not every time, obviously, but it can and does happen! I suspect that it is heavily dependent upon the amount of lung tissue damaged! memtb

 

[Jon Bischof]

Yes……can survive!

I got a .177 cal pellet in my left lung at 12 yo…..I'm 71+ yo now, and still carry that pellet in my lung. In my 20's I ran quite a few marathons….several under 3 hours. My only treatment when in the hospital was bed rest and antibiotics.

If a skinny little 12 yo human can survive a lung wound……certainly a deer can. Not every time, obviously, but it can and does happen! I suspect that it is heavily dependent upon the amount of lung tissue damaged! memtb

Wow Thank God! Really important follow up question: What is the material of which that pellet in your lung consists? What is it made of?

 

[memtb]

Wow Thank God! Really important follow up question: What is the material of which that pellet in your lung consists? What is it made of?

Some would beg to differ about my survival being a good thing!

Lead…..as far as I know, pure lead! I think that in the '60's, Benjamin brand pellets were pure, or nearly so…..pure lead! memtb

 

[Jon Bischof]

That is a lead pellet, right?

 

[Jon Bischof]

How is it that you don't have lead poisoning? Did you have symptoms?

 

[southpa]

I've seen some pretty crazy things over the years. The term zombie deer comes to mind hahah. The situation that comes to mind specifically is not a bullet but still similar. A guy I know shot a cow elk with his slug gun. When they opened her up she had about 10" of an arrow with the boradhead still attached sitting in her lung cavity. The wound was healed up and the arrow was literally just laying in her left lung. Bouncing around and rattling around like you'd think it would be. She was the matriarch, leading the herd. She was feeding and doing normal elk things as she exhibited no sign of being lame. It's was astonishing. I don't see why this couldn't be true for a bullet that didn't carry enough energy to do much damage but just enough to enter the lung cavity. Wild animals are astonishing.

 

[Ckleeves]

How is it that you don't have lead poisoning? Did you have symptoms?

Ingestion is really the only way to get lead poisoning that I'm aware of. I think there have been cases of lead in joints causing it but I don't believe a bullet in most tissue really causes issues. I'm sure it can happen but it's pretty rare.