Simone on arrival at DWH
 
7/15 This calf stranded with its mother near Cape Canaveral. The mother had to be euthanized on the beach. Staff from Sea World Adventure Park in Orlando transported the calf to Mote's Dolphin and Whale Hospital for rehabilitation. The calf is very young (<1 month) but very strong. There are a number of wounds from the stranding event, but nothing else is obviously wrong. The calf has been started on artificial formula and medications.

7/16 Calf is somewhat weaker today and not trying to swim as much as last night. She is being tube fed every three hours, around-the-clock. The calf is displaying extreme hyperexcitability at times, which is not a safe behavior in a confined space, such as a medical tank.

7/17 Due to Simone's hyperexcitability, she was started temporarily on a sedative and is responding much better this morning. She was able to swim for a short period and did fairly well. She is now anticipating the feeding tube and is opening her mouth as we approach with her formula. We are more optimistic today about her chances for the next few days.

7/18 Simone has developed a mild pneumonia (as expected following stranding), but is doing well today. She is allowed to swim for longer periods and has learned to avoid obstructions and walls. She is still on the sedative, but is responding well. Appetite is good and she is tolerating the formula well.

7/19 Doing well today all around. We are increasing her calories as she is very hungry all the time and we are decreasing the dosage of sedative.

7/21 Simone has been free-swimming for most of the last 36 hours. We have increased her calories again and she is on one-half the sedative on which she started.

7/23 Simone is now gaining weight and is doing a lot of diving. Appetite is still very good.

7/25 The calf continues to swim, dive, and eat well. She is still very "jumpy" and easily startled.

7/27 No change for Simone, still doing well.

7/29 Blood values are almost all normal at this point. Generally doing well.

7/31 More of the same.

8/2 Simone seems to be becoming more interactive with her caretakers. Appetite very good. 8/5 Simone's white count went up some yesterday, but seems to be doing well otherwise. Will recheck tomorrow.

8/7 White count is back down.

8/9 Continuing to do well. Gaining weight, also.

8/12 Calf is now off the sedative completely. Doing well except that she left during a couple of feeds over the weekend.

8/16 Simone has been leaving during more feeds. Checked her stomach contents to find evidence of gastric ulcer. Started medication of the ulcer.

8/19 Simone had a rough weekend (left during most feeds), but is doing very well today. Will be rechecking her stomach tomorrow morning.

8/21 Simone is much better and is taking all of her feeds again.

8/26 Simone missed a couple of feeds over the weekend, but is better today.

9/1 Although Simone still occasionally leaves during a feed, she is doing well and gaining weight.

9/6 Simone is leaving fewer feeds and may be slowly becoming more tolerant of contact with people. She is very active, especially during rain storms when she has been observed to breach out of the water as many as 20 times in a row.

9/10 Simone continues to gain weight even though she still leaves occasionally before a feed is complete. There is some evidence of a fungal infection beginning, so she has been started on antifungal medication.

9/12 Calf seems to be having a rare reaction to the antifungal medication. Liver values are all going up very quickly. Will change antifungal medication.

9/15 Simone is much improved since changing medication. Appetite is better and she is more playful.

9/17 Siimone is finally staying during entire feeds and is even interacting with the handlers. She is also gaining weight.

9/24 Exam today went well. Blood work looks good. Continues to gain weight.

9/27 Simone continues to do well.

9/30 Over the weekend whale began leaving during feeds again. Will catch her for exam tomorrow morning.

10/1 Exam went well. Medically, whale appears good. Eating better today.

10/4 Simone continues to do well. She is slowly becoming accustomed to tolerating people in the tank with her.

10/8 Simone is gaining weight and her blood work looks very good. Appetite is good.

10/18 Simone's white count is up today, so she has been started on oral antibiotics.

10/21 Simone's white count is back down and she seems to be feeling better (more playful).

10/23 Very playful today and appetite is excellent.

10/25 Continues to do well.

10/28 Blood work was good this morning and calf is gaining weight each week.

11/1 Simone continues to do very well.  She continues to be more interactive with handlers, as well.

11/5 White count was up a little yesterday, so we have started her back on antibiotics. She is eating very well.

11/7 White count is improved today and she continues to do well.

11/9 The whale's appetite suddenly decreased last night. We may collect blood and other samples this afternoon for analysis.

11/10 Simone is much better today and appetite has returned. Possibly just constipation.

11/11 Exam this morning went well. Simone continues to gain weight, now almost 100 pounds. Active and playful after the exam.

11/13 Doing very well. Whale is on antibiotics and antifungal for mild sinus infection.

11/15 Blood sample yesterday indicated that the antibiotic is apparently working.

11/18 Calf is still gaining weight at about 1.5 kg per week. Still very playful.

11/20 More interactive lately and eating well.

11/26 A little hesitant to eat at an occasional feed but still appears quite playful. Blood work OK.

11/29 Eating better the last two days.

12/4 Simone continues to do well and gain weight.

12/6 Overall, doing very well but mild infection does not seem to be resolving. Will change antibiotics.

12/9 Not quite as active the last few days, but eating well.

12/13 For the last two days, calf has not been as hungry. Exam this morning indicated an esophageal infection and ulceration. New medication has been started.

12/16 White count is high, so starting a new antibiotic today.

12/19 Appetite has been affected by the medication she is on, so will try to readjust dosage.

12/21 Blood values are improving greatly, but appetite is still affected.

12/24 Appetite has been back to normal for the last 36 hours.

12/30 Simone is eating very well and behavior is normal.

1/1/03 Doing very well.

1/3 Continuing to do very well.

1/7 Simone's bloodwork appears completely normal and her behavior and appetite are normal.

1/9 Doing very well.

1/12 No change, continuing to do well.

1/15 Simone is very playful and is probably in the best condition since her arrival.

1/17 Still doing very well.

1/20 Simone continues to do very well.

1/22 No change. There will be no more updates until something changes, which we hope will not happen, since she is doing so well.

/28 We have begun to offer Simone whole squid for the first time. She appears to enjoy playing with them and carrying them around in her mouth, but she has not yet eaten one. Everything appears good regarding her health.

1/30 Simone consumed her first whole squid last night.

2/19 Simone continues to do very well. No health issues at this time.

3/3 Simone continues to gain weight and her health continues to be good.

3/31 Simone is still growing and doing very well.

4/15 Simone has missed a couple of meals in the last two days. We suspect constipation and are treating her for that.

4/17 Whale appears to be feeling a little better, but still has not defecated. Taking most feeds, but still occasionally missing one.

4/21 Simone had several large defecations over the weekend and seems to be feeling much better.

4/26 Continuing to do well.

5/5 Simone's appetite has returned to normal and her behavior is good.

5/10 Doing well. Simone had a large defecation today ("inking") indicating that she is no longer constipated.

5/15 Although outwardly doing well, we are treating Simone for a bacterial infection in her respiratory tract. She appears to be responding.

5/29 Simone is much better and is off all medications again. Continues to be playful.

6/9 Simone's blood work is good and she is interactive with handlers.

6/15 Calf continues to do well.

7/2 No change other than evidence of small gastric ulcer that is being treated.

7/6 Simone is refusing to take some feeds. Will do a complete exam tomorrow morning. Probably this is being caused by the ulcer.

7/12 Doing much better and taking all feeds at this point.

7/15 Today is the first year anniversary of Simone's arrival at the DWH. A party is being held in her honor this evening. She is doing very well and has more than tripled her weight since she arrived.

7/21 Simone has developed bilateral corneal edema, probably from the ozonation of her water. No ulcers are present and the condition should correct itself.

7/28 Very little change in the eyes so far.

8/5 Slight improvement in both eyes.

8/14 Both eyes are improved as is her appetite.

8/18 Doing well.

8/22 Continuing to do well.

9/4 Whale has another gastric ulcer that is now being treated. Eyes are all but healed.

9/9 Appetite is improved.

9/14 Appetite is now back to normal and whale is quite playful again.

9/17 Continuing to do well.

9/23 Still doing very well. Very interactive and playful.

9/30 Simone is having more digestive problems, probably ulcer and constipation in duodenum. Treating as necessary.

10/7 Whale is doing relatively well, except for mild digestive problems. She is being treated for a fungal sinusitis.

10/17 Sinusitis is improving and is eating better.

10/22 For the last 4 days, Simone has refused to eat and is clearly constipated. We are trying several different treatments, but so far, none of them are helping. It is critical that this problem be relieved very soon.

10/22 pm Unfortunately, at about 9 pm this evening, Simone quit breathing and died quietly. A necropsy will be performed tomorrow morning to determine the cause of the gut stasis that obviously killed her.

10/23 Necropsy this morning revealed an impacted colon and ink sac. There was no torsion of the GI tract.