This turtle was found floating in Estero Bay, Ft. Myers area, and was taken to Crow Wildlife Rehab. Center. It was too large for their facility, so they transferred it to the Sea Turtle Rehabilitaion Hospital. It was covered in barnacles and algae and had obviously been sick for some time. Although it was not too anemic, it has all the other symptoms of the anemic loggerhead turtles that have been coming in for the past 6 weeks. 5/31 About 5 liters of air was removed from turtle's coelomic cavity. It is eating well and is alert. 6/5 Appetite declined for two days but is better today. Slow response to medication. 6/7 Seems improved today. 6/13 Turtle's white count has gone up so we have changed antibiotics. Not yet gaining weight. 6/19 White count is back down and turtle has begun to gain weight. 8/5 Turtle is no longer gaining weight. Anemia is responding slowly. 8/19 Turtle is now gaining weight again and is doing fairly well. 8/30 Although appetite is variable, turtle seems to be doing well. 9/9 Turtle is continuing to slowly improve. 9/21 Still continuing to improve slowly. 10/9 Has had chronic diarrhea lately. Culture may provide answer. 11/4 Diarrhea is better as is appetite. 11/18 Turtle is still having GI issues. Have started a new treatment. 12/9 Turtle had been getting worse the last week or so and died late this morning. Necropsy revealed a very large abscess involving the left scapula that was likely there for many months or even years.

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Laterial view