03/25/2018  Turtle was found floating near St. James City in Lee County.  He/she was brought to Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) in Sanibel for triage.  Animal was covered in dirt, algae, and epibiota.  There is a large, healing boat strike to the carapace and turtle has a healed partial amputation of the right rear flipper.  There are also a few fibropapilloma tumors present.  

03/26/2018  Because this turtle has fibropapilloma, CROW volunteers helped transfer animal to Mote for continued rehabilitation.  Blood work revealed that animal has signs of infection, so was started on injectable antibiotics and subcutaneous fluids until eating.  Radiographs indicate their may be some spinal damage due to the boat strike.  Animal was put in a rehab. pool at very low water level overnight.  Turtle had no interest in eating today.

03/27/2018  LovieR ate all food types offered today!

03/31/2018  LovieR continues to eat well and defecated for the first time today.  Turtle is still lethargic and in low water level, but will actively forage for any food offered.

05/10/2018  LovieR is much more active and continues to eat well.  Was switched to an oral antibiotic to minimize amount of handling necessary.  Turtle remains in a shallow rehab. pool because its caudal end is floating, perhaps a side effect of the healing boat strike damage.  

06/15/2018  Due to permanent buoyancy issues and potential megacolon secondary to boat strike damage, animal was humanely euthanized.