Ginny

Common dolphin (Delphinus delphis)

(Avalon, MML 0004)

Age Class	Adult
Gender	Female
Date Stranded	January 23, 2000
Location of Stranding	Cape Hatteras, NC
Date of Arrival	January 31, 2000
Number of Days of Care	11 at DWH; 8 at VMSM; 19 total

Final Disposition

Died on 11 Feb 2000

1 Feb 00. Today, Ginny, a female common dolphin, Delphinus delphis, arrived via U.S. Navy plane to undergo rehabilitation at the Dolphin and Whale Hospital, Mote Marine Laboratory. She had stranded on 24 Jan 00 near Cape Hatteras, NC and had been taken to the Virginia Marine Science Museum at Virginia Beach, VA to hold until she could be transported to a rehabilitation facility. Staff and volunteers at the Museum were able to keep her alive despite several winter storms that delayed the transport to Florida, but she finally arrived. A blood sample and two bacterial cultures were taken upon arrival, she was weighed (67 kg = 147 lbs) and then placed in the 30 foot medical tank. She appeared hungry and was offered squid and capelin which she readily ate. She was also able to swim for a short period. Ginny appears to be suffering from mild pneumonia and bleeding from the stomach. She is being treated with antibiotics (cephalexin) and ulcer medication (ranitidine and sucralfate). Ginny had developed some lateral spinal curvature and is receiving physical therapy to correct it.

ginny the dolphin on the beach with rescuers

Ginny (or "Avalon" as she was called then) at the stranding site being aided by volunteers from the North Carolina Stranding Network.

2 Feb 00. Ginny is eating well and will receive 7 pounds of capelin and 3.5 pounds of squid today. She is allowed to swim during her feeds, until she becomes tired, and is receiving physical therapy for the spinal curvature twice daily. Blood drawn this morning indicated slight liver problems (elevated total bilirubin and ALT), possibly due to the long transport yesterday. Tomorrow we plan to do an endoscopic exam of her stomach and an ultrasound exam of her liver.

3 Feb 00. Dolphin underwent blood tests, endoscopy and ultrasound. Endoscopy revealed no ulceration in esophagus or first stomach and ultrasound revealed no fluid in chest and no swelling of the liver. An examination of the stomach contents revealed a large number of white blood cells, indicating an infection in the stomach or intestines. Therefore, she was started on gentamicin (antibiotic) orally. Ginny is swimming better, having fewer muscle tremors, and is showing less spinal curvature. Her ration has been increased and she is eating everything offered to her.

ginny the dolphin swimming in a pool with a trainer

Wendy Walton (VMSM Vet Tech), who accompanied Ginny on the flight from Virginia Beach to Mote DWH, exercising the dolphin prior to Wendy's return to VA.

4 Feb 00. Today, Ginny continues to gain strength. She is swimming with less spinal curvature and almost no muscle twitching. Blood tests show that her liver function tests are improving. She will receive a total of 13 pounds of fish (capelin) and 4 pounds of squid to eat. She has had some rectal gas for the last two days, probably from the intestinal infection, but it is not severe.

5 Feb 00. Improvement is noted again today. At times, the spinal curvature is almost absent and there is very little muscle twitching. Her total bilirubin (liver function test) is now back to normal and ESR is improving. She will receive 19 pounds of fish and squid today. She is capable of maintaining herself afloat for extended periods of time and we are confident that she will be free-swimming any day now. Currently, she is being minimally supported between feeds and allowed to swim freely during and for a short time after each feed. Blood values are good enough that we will begin taking blood every other day rather than every day.

6 Feb 00. No significant change noted this morning. Continuing to eat very well, but may be developing a spinal curvature to the opposite side about mid-body. She received an injection of Vitamin E/Selenium this morning to help with the curvature. There is some evidence of fungal involvement in the intestinal infection so she was started on itraconazole.

common dolphin being fed by a trainer

Ginny being fed by Animal Care Coordinator Petra Cunningham-Smith.

7 Feb 00. Mid-body curvature (scoliosis) is no worse and she seems to be swimming better today. Ginny had a bout of vomiting and diarrhea early this morning but medication seems to have it under control. There is slight improvement in most blood values and she continues to have a ravenous appetite. We took a stomach content sample for fungal culture this morning and should have those results by the end of the week.

8 Feb 00. Very little change today. Still some vomiting and diarrhea. Finally learning to deal with the sides of the tank when swimming. Eating very well.

Important note:We have just been made aware of some of the details regarding the stranding event in North Carolina and would like to pass them on to everyone. The dolphin originally stranded on the beach in Kill Devil Hills, NC. A group of volunteers from the Marine Mammal Stranding Network in the area responded and convinced the powers that be NOT to euthanize her on the beach. The group then spent hours in a freezing northeast wind keeping her safe while awaiting transport to Virginia Marine Science Museum. We do not want to forget these brave souls who saved the dolphin's life for, without them, we would not be working to keep her alive and return her to the wild. Many thanks to the group.

9 Feb 00. Ginny has begun to improve again. No more vomiting. Her swimming is better and she is dealing with the walls much better. Her blood work today was improving and the spinal curvature appears less severe. We are beginning electro-stimulation for her spinal muscles and will take radiographs (X-rays) of the spine this afternoon. We weighed her this morning (70.2 kg, 154.8 pounds) and she is gaining about one pound of weight per day.

10 Feb 00. Continued improvement noted today. Still some diarrhea, but spinal curvature continues to improve. Appetite is still great. Ginny is swimming more every day. We have discontinued the cephalexin and gentamicin and have begun grepafloxacin. PS. Thanks to those who are sending in donations to help with Ginny's medical costs. Rehab is not cheap (average cost is about $1000 per day) and there are no governmental funds available to help.

10 Feb 00 PM. Ginny has shown dramatic deterioration this evening. Severe diarrhea, vomiting and possibly some water aspiration. Next 24 hours will be extremely critical.

Sad News. At 4:30 this morning (11 Feb 00) Ginny died. Gastrointestinal distress seemed to be involved. A necropsy will be performed later this morning to determine the cause of death as well as details regarding her illnesses. It is always disappointing to lose an animal that seems to be doing so well and then suddenly crashes. Our thanks to everyone in North Carolina, Virginia, and Florida (and anywhere else) who assisted in the care of this beautiful animal.

11 Feb 00 PM (NECROPSY). A complete necropsy was performed this afternoon and the following was found: 1) severe congestion of left lung; 2) thromboembolism of right lung; 3) a very large number of small healing ulcers in the glandular stomach; and 4) impaction of the first stomach with fish bones. Histopathology results will probably take about 1-2 months for the final word but cause of death was apparently the acute thromboembolism of the lung.