Author Archive for Sea Rogers Williams
Dr. Williams is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, and has completed AquaVet®, AquaMed®, Advanced Fish Medicine and a one year clinical aquatic internship at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. After five years as a veterinary medical officer for NOAA Fisheries Dr. Williams accepted the position of Director of Science and as Attending Veterinarian at NMLC. Dr. Williams also owns and operates the Vineyard Veterinary Clinic on Martha’s Vineyard.
The Inside Scoop
To investigate what is really going on inside we took Patty to WHOI for another CAT scan, so what did the ‘cat’ have to say about the turtle ?
There is a new shell forming under the pink tissue we call the pseudo-shell, this is good news but at this point the new shell is not [...]
Thanks Tobey Hospital !
The Animal Care staff is very grateful to the generous donation of a Narkomed anesthesia unit from Tobey Hospital and particularly for the help from Robert Casmira to coordinate this effort. This fully functional unit, while no longer the state-of-the-art for human anesthesia, is more advanced then the vast majority of veterinary units and has [...]
Shell Game
Patty continues to loose aspects of her top shell, called the carapace, secondary to the damage caused by the exposure to freezing temperatures almost a year ago. The delayed tissue lost is a consequence of micro-vascular damage and a lost of blood flow to the shell (avascular necrosis) which resulted in bone death. Patty is [...]
Whale of Good Time
…at least for the parasites, thanks to Suzanne Thurman for sending along samples of the acanthocephalan parasite Bolbosoma turbinella from a Sei Whale stranded which stranded Delaware. This parasite is known from several baleen whales (the big ones), including the humpback, blue (the largest whale), and northern right whale (one of the most endangered whales). [...]
Where in the World: Dr Rogers Travels: Boston
Drs Williams and Dunnigan participated in a NOAA Fisheries sea turtle serious injury workshop where they presented examples of sea turtle / fishery interactions and lead discussions on the significance of certain types of injuries among a panel of sea turtle veterinary experts, sea turtle biologists, and government officials. The meeting was held in the [...]
Shell Game
Patty’s shell (carapace) is finally starting to show some signs of healing but remains unprotected by the hard surface we associate with the shells of turtles on much of its surface. This protective outer layer of keratin (the same material that makes up or hair) will have to form after some more healing, but Patty [...]
Virtural (Path) Rounds
Dr. Williams participated in the first Marine Mammal Pathology Virtual Rounds sponsored by NOAA today. Pathology cases were submitted from the stranding network, and reports were made available for review before the Rounds. By uploading digitized histopathology slides, participants were able to review the case and the pathology on-line. These are not the perfect pictures [...]
Where in the World: Dr. Rogers Travels: Martha’s Vineyard
A sea turtle and marine mammal stranding training session hosted by the New England Aquarium on Martha’s Vineyard was attended by Drs. Williams and Dunnigan. This was a local meeting for our two vineyard vets who have been responsible for the primary stranding response for over one hundred stranded animals on the Vineyard since 1997. [...]
Where in the World: Dr. Rogers Travels: Woods Hole
US Fish and Wildlife and biologists from the state of Florida came to the Northeast Region to hold a one-day training course in Woods Hole on Manatee Strandings. Manatees sightings and strandings are becoming more common in this region, which naturally indicates that the manatee population is increasing, global warming is occurring faster then expected, [...]
Where in the World: Dr. Rogers Travels: Florida
Dr. Williams was an invited speaker at the South East Region Stranding Conference were he presented a talk on Cetacean Euthanasia, a difficult topic but one that veterinarians, stranding personal, rehabilitators, and the general public must face when a stranded dolphin or whale is suffering. The meeting was held in Florida and well attended. It [...]
growing, growing, soon to be gone . . .
While all six of the Red-bellied cooters from the NMLC class of 2009 were successfully released, a batch of six animals were referred to our center for additional care and growth. All of which they are doing admirably, and perhaps too well. Their growth has been rapid and the growth line (suture) between the scales [...]
In Search of a New Host
As part of our on-going studies of the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle and our quest to understand the events that surround the cold-stun phenomenon that results with the stranding and death of tens to hundreds of turtles each year on Cape Cod we are studing the parasites collected from Kemp’s Ridley turtles that have [...]
Pathology and Parasitology
As part of our on-going studies of the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle and our quest to understand the events that surround the cold-stun phenomenon that results with the stranding and death of tens to hundreds of turtles each year on Cape Cod, we are pleased to announce the publication of paper that describes the [...]
Eyes of the World
Patty, the diamond-back terrapin that was caught out in the cold (actually was frozen, see: Cold-Stunned Terrapin “Patty” Newest Patient) is making excellent progress. The blood in the eyes is resolving, and now that she can see again she is starting to eat. She still has serious neurological disease and difficulty with the hind legs, [...]
Examined, cleared, and marked
The diamond-back terrapins were given a medical exam to see if they were considered “fit” for their return to the wild ( Diamondback Terrapin Release! June 25, 2009 ) and I’m happy to report all four terrapins passed with flying colors. Permanent identification is critical with all the animals we release, and these little turtles [...]
Gulf of Maine Seals: populations, problems, and priorities
Kathy and Rogers attended the Gulf of Maine Seals conference sponsored by the WHOI Marine Mammal Center.
Dr. Williams presented findings on middle ear disease in seals from the Gulf of Maine as a potential indicator of environmental degradation and a process that can serve as a model for a common human disease. Rogers also chaired [...]
Infection and antibiotics
The wound to Amelia’s shell (see previous Ameila’s wounds show signs of healing)
has taken a turn for the worse, and we’ve started her on a course of antibiotics to help her little body counter the infection. The wound started to bleed more and there is more reaction in the tissues surrounding the fractured scute. The [...]
Ameila’s wounds show signs of healing
Assisted by Drs. Ryer and Voorhis we examined the shell fragment from the wounded and wayward Diamond-back terrapin Amelia.
see: Amelia Admitted to Hospital after Crash Landing
The fragment appears to have lost blood supply and will not heal, but the tissues under the fragment are clean and starting to fill in and protect the underling structures. [...]
New Parasite from Kemp’s Ridley
The loss of Caveman, a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle that died of sepsis and pneumonia following a cold-stun event last fall, was difficult for the entire staff, but we are continuing to learn about Kemp’s ridley sea turtles and issues that effect their health and natural history. During the necropsy (animal autopsy) we found an [...]
