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Sarasota, FL 34236
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Age Class | Juvenile |
Gender | Female |
Date Stranded | December 24, 2002 |
Location of Stranding | on Pedro Beach, Englewood, Florida |
Date of Arrival | December 24, 2002 |
Number of Days of Care | 937 days |
Transferred July 17, 2005 to Gulf World Marine Park, Panama City, FL
The Story Begins
The Story Begins
12/25 This dolphin was found stranded in Charlotte County near Boca Grande. The animal was transported to the Dolphin and Whale Hospital for evaluation. The juvenile appears to have pneumonia in the left lung and numerous external wounds (rake marks). Blood was collected and antibiotics and fluids were administered. She will be observed overnight and will be reassessed in the morning.
12/26 Animal is breathing much better this morning after having a rough night. White count is elevated but is lower this morning than last night. Dolphin is going to be transported to Gulf World in Panama City, Florida for continued rehabilitation due to space limitations here at the Dolphin and Whale Hospital.
12/27 An attempt was made to transport the dolphin yesterday afternoon, but it went into shock about ten miles from here. It was treated for shock and returned to DWH. It is to be maintained and treated here until a decision can be made. The pneumonia is definitely improved.
12/27 pm Due to the difficulty experienced with transporting this dolphin, Mote Marine Laboratory has made a commitment to rehabilitate this animal. The costs of rehabilitation of three animals at once will probably exceed $2000 per day, so any and all donations to help cover the costs of drugs and supplies for these animals would be greatly appreciated. To make a donation to help with their rehabilitation over the internet or by mail, click here.
12/28 Calf is now swimming on its own!!! Not yet interested in solid food, so is receiving gruel by stomach tube. Her prognosis has improved greatly now that she is swimming on her own.
12/29 Dolphin vomited a few offshore sponges during the night, so we then induced vomiting and got a number of other sponges out of her stomach. These were likely eaten just before stranding and may be the reason for the gastric ulcer. Still swimming. White count had gone up yesterday, so we switched antibiotics and it is coming back down today.
12/30 Very little change, still hanging in there.
12/31 Gastroscopy this morning revealed that the first stomach is completely filled with sponges. We were unable to retrieve them through the scope, so will have to try to induce vomiting again.
1/1/03 Induced dolphin to vomit about 6 more sponges yesterday. Will scope her again tomorrow to be sure they are all gone. Swimming stronger today.
1/2 A 2.5 hour gastroscopy procedure this morning yielded about 12 more sponges from Vixen's stomach. These sponges were firmly adhered to the lining of the stomach and were causing severe ulceration of the stomach lining. We believe that we were able to remove all of the sponges and can now deal with the ulcers. Her behavior is improving daily, but the white count is still going up.
1/3 Seems better today. More active and respirations are clearer. Will offer some flying fish and ballyhoo today to see if she will eat solid food.
1/4 Dolphin is more active and even playful. Is showing interest in solid food but has not yet eaten any. White count is finally coming down.
1/5 Vixen continues to improve daily. She is now interacting with handlers in the water.
1/6 White count is coming down, but very slowly. Will schedule a broncho-alveolar lavage to culture the lungs and another gastroscopy to determine how well the first stomach is healing and confirm that there are no sponges in the second stomach. Still has not taken any solid food.
1/7 Gastroscopy revealed that all sponges are gone and, although there is a large amount of the stomach ulcerated, the ulcers appear to be healing. Took culture from the stomach and lung for antibiotic sensitivity.
January 2003
1/8 Dolphin continues to improve slowly. White count coming down slowly.
1/9 White count down a little again today.
1/10 White count is down a good bit today. Vixen is very interactive with people but still not taking solid food.
1/12 White count is down even more. Dolphin occasionally vomits, but that is to be expected with the ulcers. Otherwise, doing well.
1/13 Slow but continued improvement.
1/14 Gastroscopy revealed three more sponges in the second stomach compartment (glandular stomach). All three were removed and we hope that is the last of them. Antibiotic was switched to bring down white count.
1/15 Seems to be feeling better today. Getting harder to catch for tubing, which MUST be a good sign.
1/16 White count is finally down, almost to normal. New antibiotic seems to be doing the job. Dolphin still not eating solid food, but is very active as well as interactive with handlers.
1/17 Vixen is now diving down and seems to be feeling very well. Not sure why she has not started eating solid food yet.
1/18 All blood values today were normal or very near normal.
1/20 Blood values are all now within normal limits. We will be discontinuing antibiotics by the end of the week if nothing changes. We are offering live prey to see if she will eat it. Otherwise, we may have to start force-feeding whole fish to get her started eating.
1/22 Still doing very well. We have started training her to take dead prey. Hopefully, she will eat some soon.
1/24 Continuing to do well. May be very close to taking solid food.
1/27 Vixen is occasionally vomiting when her stomach is empty, which is typical of ulcer patients. Otherwise, she seems to be doing very well. We plan to perform gastroscopy again tomorrow to check on the progress of healing of the ulcers.
1/28 Gastroscopy this morning revealed that the ulcers are healing very well, with about half of the eroded surface now healed. An extended search through both the first and second stomach compartments revealed no more sponges. Ultrasonography of the lungs, liver, and kidneys indicated no problems with those organs. There is evidence of an intestinal infection for which a culture was taken and she was started on an antibiotic for it. Will delay offering more solid food until ulcers are completely healed.
1/30 Vixen seems to be having less discomfort from her stomach than before. Is doing well today.
February 2003
2/2 Vixen is now taking tube feeding without being held. Her health seems to be good at this point and she is active and playful.
2/4 Continues to do well.
2/6 Dolphin is doing very well.
2/9 More of the same.
2/11 Latest exam indicated a gastric yeast infection. Dolphin has been started on nystatin for treatment. Otherwise, very active and playful.
2/14 Vixen continues to do well. Gastroscopy this morning revealed that the ulcers are healing but not yet completely healed. The yeast infection is almost gone.
2/16 At 5am this morning, Vixen started a 3-hour bout of abdominal distress. She was treated and is now back to normal. It appears that she had some bad fish at the 4am feed (food poisoning?).
2/17 Vixen did well yesterday, but last night started having difficulty swimming. She is now being supported as we try to determine the cause of her problems.
2/19 Dolphin is much better today. Her white count is up but she is again playful and does not need to be supported.
2/21 Dolphin continues to improve. White count was down slightly this morning.
2/24 Continuing to improve.
2/26 Vixen continues to be very playful and interactive as seen in the following photo with her favorite environmental enrichment device (e.e.d. or "toy").
2/28 Dolphin's white count is down dramatically today, but has some indication of colitis. Will start new antibiotic for that today.
March 2003
3/3 Vixen is very playful, as usual. White count is down even further.
3/5 Continuing to do very well.
3/7 Dolphin seems to be doing better every day. We will gastroscope her next week to determine the status of the gastric ulcers.
3/10 Doing very well today. Will gastroscope her tomorrow.
3/12 Gastroscopy revealed that the ulcers are about 95% healed at this time. Will begin to offer some solid food. She is still very active and playful.
3/18 Dolphin's blood work was very good this morning and she is very playful.
3/20 No change, still doing well.
3/22 White count is down to normal and everything is looking good.
3/25 White count continues to be normal and she continues to do well.
3/31 Now off all antibiotics and will recheck blood tomorrow. Very active.
April 2003
4/1 Blood work was very good and gastroscope revealed that there are only three very small ulcers remaining in her first stomach.
4/3 Vixen continues to do very well. Will try solid food again next week.
4/8 Blood work continues to be very good. Will start offering solid food now.
4/15 Yesterday, CR was moved into the tank with Vixen. They are separated by a divider, but it is hoped that Vixen will begin eating solid food from watching CR eat. Both seem to be doing well.
4/17 Vixen ate her first fish today. Will see if she eats more tomorrow. Still doing well.
4/18 Dolphin has eaten several fish now and seems to be almost ready to switch to a solid food diet.
4/21 Eating several fish every day, but not yet ready to switch completely to solid food.
4/23 Still doing very well.
4/26 Eating more fish every day and able to catch live prey.
4/29 Continuing to eat more fish each day. Medically, doing very well.
May 2003
5/5 On May 1st, CR was released back to the wild so Vixen has the pool to herself again. She is now eating about 5 pounds of fish a day, so we are in the process of switching her completely to solid food. Health continues to be good.
5/6 Eating even more fish today.
5/10 Vixen is now on an all-fish diet. She continues to eat more capelin (14 lbs/day), and we are attempting to broaden her diet to other fish.
5/15 Vixen continues to do well. We have been able to raise the water level in her tank, giving her increased room to swim. Vixen is being held to 15 lbs capelin a day and has shown good weight gain.
5/29 Vixen has had very high liver values and had quit eating for several days, but the treatment seems to be working well and she is now back on full ration. It appears to have been a bout of hepatitis. Bloodwork is much improved today and dolphin is eating well and is very playful. Will try her on live prey this week in preparation for possible release. Blood work continues to improve and dolphin appears to be doing well.
June 2003
6/15 Offered live prey, but only watched it swim. Doing very well otherwise.
6/21 Very active and playful, eating well, and gaining weight. May be getting close to being ready for release.
6/29 Vixen now has another tank-mate, Moonshine. The dolphins are divided by a barrier for the next few days until they are accustomed to each other. Both dolphins are doing very well.
July 2003
7/2 Vixen is continuing to gain weight and is eating well. Pays some attention to Moonshine on the other side of the barrier but very little interaction at this point.
7/4 Barrier was removed yesterday and both dolphins are doing well, at least tolerating each other at this point.
7/8 Dolphin ate her first live prey last night. Hopefully, she is very close to being ready for release.
7/9 Ate several more live fish last evening.
7/12 Doing very well. Have applied for permission to release dolphin soon.
7/15 Vixen was freeze-branded this morning in preparation for her release. Health is very good at this time.
7/18 Vixen was moved into the Marine Mammal Lagoon this morning in preparation for her eventual release. She has much more space and deeper water to exercise and increase her muscle tone. She was offered live sponges last evening and had no interest in eating them.
7/21 Vixen is doing very well in the lagoon and getting lots of exercise. Moving ahead with release plans.
7/24 Release plans have been delayed, possibly for two weeks, to get a determination regarding release from the NOAA Fisheries. Details will be posted here as they become available.
7/28 Vixen continues to get lots of exercise in the lagoon and is becoming less attentive to people.
August 2003
8/5 Moved Moonshine into the lagoon with Vixen and the two dolphins are playing continuously. Vixen is gaining weight and her liver values are almost normal.
8/14 Vixen has had a bout of digestive upset, but is much better today and eating well.>
8/18 Vixen is completely over the digestive upset. Very playful.
8/22 Doing very well and being playful with Moonshine.
8/26 Liver values are now within normal limits.
8/28 Continuing to do very well.
September 2003
9/4 Dolphin is active and appetite is excellent. Gaining weight.
9/9 Liver values are back up somewhat, but doing very well, otherwise.
9/17 Continues doing well and liver values are coming down again.
9/23 More of the same.
9/30 Liver values are getting very close to normal. She has a couple of skin lesions and we took a skin biopsy and culture this morning. Will treat as needed.
October 2003
10/7 Skin lesions are improved and it appears that liver values may be normal by next week. Doing very well otherwise.
10/17 Liver values are now normal and doing very well. Has a minor stomach infection, but that should be cleared up by next week.
10/22 Stomach infection almost gone, so will treat it for one more week.
10/28 Stomach infection appears to be gone. Have discontinued all medications.
November 2003
11/6 Unfortunately, stomach infection is back. Have started a new antibiotic. 11/13 Still some stomach infection present and have added another antibiotic.
11/18 Infection is almost gone. Doing very well otherwise.
11/27 Infection is gone again. Doing very well.
December 2003
12/3 Dolphin is off all medication and doing well.
12/8 Blood work this morning looked good. Continues to do well.
12/22 Doing very well.
12/31 No change, doing well.
January 2004
1/5 Blood work is good today. Gaining weight.
1/15 Continuing to do very well.
1/28 No changes.
February 2004
2/8 Continuing to do well.
2/13 Still doing well.
March 2004
3/5 Continues to do very well.
3/24 Still doing well.
April 2004
4/4 No change.
4/20 Continues to do well.
May 2004
5/8 No change.
5/14 Performed gastroscopy procedure this morning and all appears to be normal in both the first and second stomach compartments.
5/19 Continues doing well.
June 2004
6/7 Doing very well.
6/29 Still doing well.
July 2004
7/6 No change.
7/14 Still doing well.
7/27 No change.
August 2004
8/5 More of the same.
8/21 Dolphin had to be evacuated for Hurricane Charley, but is now back in the Lagoon doing well.
September 2004
9/1 Dolphin is doing very well, although the evacuation has affected the dolphin's behavior.
9/3 Dolphin continues to do very well. We are preparing for Hurricane Frances, so the next update may be a few days away.
9/7 Dolphin did well during the hurricane and is doing very well today.
9/16 Continuing to do well.
October 2004
10/9 Still doing very well.
November 2004
11/18 Continuing to do well.
December 2004
12/15 More of the same. No problems noted.
January 2005
1/5/05 Continuing to do very well.
1/23 Still doing very well.
February 2005
2/6 Dolphin has had a lack of appetite for a couple of days. Gastroscopy today revealed a mild gastroenteritis. Dolphin has been started on antibiotics.
2/15 Gastroenteritis has resolved. Dolphins have been temporarily moved to critical care tanks because of construction issues. Dolphins are doing very well.
2/22 Dolphin is back in the lagoon and doing very well.
March 2005
3/31 Dolphin continues to do very well. Apparently not being bothered by the construction nearby.
April 2005
4/25 This morning, Vixen and Moonshine were moved out of the lagoon and Harley was moved into the lagoon. We will place a barrier in the tank with Moonshine and Vixen to see how he tolerates it with Vixen present.
May 2005
5/15 Vixen is in lagoon with Harley and Moonshine and all three are getting along very well.
June 2005
6/10 All three dolphins have been moved out of the lagoon temporarily due to construction. Should be returned there is a couple of days. Doing very well.
July 2005
7/18 Vixen was transported for 7 hours via truck to Gulf World Marine Park, where the dolphin will now be a permanent resident. Transport went very well and she is being maintained with two other rough-tooth dolphins.
All sponges collected from Vixen's stomach, including gastroscopy procedure.
Mrs. Katie Hagaman's Kindergarten Class from Brentwood Elementary in Sarasota, FL, presenting DWH with posters and a check for money the class raised for Vixen's care.
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