Patient Update: September 5th, 2018

Patient Update: September 5, 2018

Seals:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Androscoggin “Andy” and Piscataqua “Cat”

Andy (bottom foreground) and Cat (top) are doing exceptionally well with no recent changes to their health. Despite meeting all requirements essential for a release to the wild, they are still in our care. Due to the recently declared Unusual Mortality Event (UME), we have been encouraged to hold on to our patients while more research is being done on the local seal population. Until more is known about this event, our patients will stay with us and continue to build the strength they will need to flourish on their own in the wild.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicopee

Chicopee is doing very well, and has reached another milestone in her rehabilitation. Over the past week she has successfully been moved into ST2, one of our larger pools! Initially she struggled to be competitive for her food, which required a quick move back to Pod 1. After a few days she began eating voraciously and this warranted a move back to the big pool.  Although she was very picky with her fish for a while, she has since improved and is eating very well all on her own! Although she has entirely lost vision in her right eye, it is very encouraging to know that this has not hindered her abilities to track and capture fish effectively.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pawcatuck “Tuck”

Tuck has been doing very well and has had no significant changes to his health. He  is still favoring his left flipper due to a shoulder infection, it has not affected his ability to swim and dive in the larger pool! Although he is by far the smallest seal in the tank, weighing 19.1 kilograms, he holds his own very well and is incredibly competitive for his food, often snatching fish out of larger seal’s mouths. He will continue to put on weight and develop the muscles required for open ocean swimming as he progresses through the rehabilitation process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sugar

Sugar has been dealing with eye issues for some time now, but a new treatment plan was started over the past week. Although her eye is still somewhat cloudy, she is squinting far less often. The new eye treatment she has been started on seems to be working incredibly well! She continues to do well with eating on her own and swimming, it’s a rare occasion to see her hauled out of the pool!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jones

Jones has been fighting both a ruptured ear drum, as well as problems with his eye over the past few weeks. An additional treatment plan has been implemented, and no active discharge has been observed, which is an encouraging sign! Additionally, a new eye treatment has been started and Jones’ eye has responded very well to it! Previously he would keep the eye shut the majority of the time, but now he keeps it open far more frequently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bear

Bear has been battling a ruptured ear drum for two months now, and has started a new treatment plan to combat this issue. As well as her ongoing ear problems, she has developed a small opacity in both her eyes, so to prevent any further ocular issues she has been started on a treatment plan for her eyes as well. She recently began eating on her own, and has gotten increasingly more proficient at positioning fish such that they can be quickly swallowed. Bear exceptionally enjoys the Kelp Football EED that we place in the pool to simulate wild foliage, as whenever it is added she enjoys diving for it and nudging it across the pool.

 

Turtles:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Etta

Etta has not yet had surgery to repair the damage done by the osteolytic lesion in her shoulder. She is continuing to undergo rehabilitation at our facility and receives physical therapy to regain mobility of her left flipper. In the meantime, she has enjoyed having the pool entirely to herself, where she can savor all the squid she desires.

Posted by Grant M.

Grant is a second semester intern who recently graduated from Roger Williams University with degrees in Biology and Chemistry.