"Eddie"
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Edisto, SC
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08/26/2012
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juvenile
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8.06 kg (~18 lb.)
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This little green sea turtle was rescued from the water by a very determined volunteer turtle patroller from Edisto. Still feisty and swimming vigorously, Eddie tried to evade rescue but was unable to dive below the surface. Green turtles feed on sea grasses and algae that grow on the sea floor, but Eddie's buoyancy problem would have prevented him from feeding. We are thankful he was rescued before a serious noticeable decline in health (emaciation, lethargy, etc.) occurred.
When Eddie arrived at our hospital and I picked him up, it was obvious he was severely bloated. After being checked for tags (none were present), weighed, and measured, our vet did a series of radiographs so that we could get a better look at his GI tract, bones, and lungs. The initial x-ray showed a very large gas-filled loop of intestine on the right side (see black space in attached photo), but also revealed that his GI tract was full of food. One of our previous patients, Pawley, presented with almost the exact same symptoms, and we are very concerned Eddie has a severe impaction. Eddie also has a healed boat strike that must have occurred earlier this year, but he healed well in the wild and we are unsure if the boat strike is related to his current buoyancy problem. Overall, prognosis is grave.
2 September 2012: We were able to get a better view of Eddie's intestinal tract last Wednesday thanks to the Charleston Veterinary Referral Center in West Ashley, who donated CT scans for three of our patients. These scans will assist our vet in diagnosing Eddie's problems and in prescribing and monitoring treatments. On a very good note, Eddie has been passing fecals with no foreign bodies regularly since admittance, which is AMAZING! However, his tail end still floats, and he is likely still impacted. Our enemas and tube-feeding protocol do seem to be mobilizing the gut, though, and this is a good sign. However, prognosis remains poor.
20 September 2012: Eddie's radiographs show his condition is slowly improving. He has been started on dextrose fluids to maintain blood glucose levels since we are not able to feed him. Keep hoping for the best for this little guy!
22 October 2012: We recently identified a coccidian parasite during a routine fecal analysis and have been treating Eddie with oral meds every other day for the past couple of weeks. This parasite is likely still confined to the GI tract, where it is known to cause impaction-like symptoms such as GI stasis (a severe reduction in the speed of movement of food through the digestive tract). In debilitated turtles, the parasite can spread throughout the body and even cause neurological symptoms as it invades the brain, but our treatments and Eddie's robust body condition will likely prevent that from happening. Gastroview administered on August 27th still remains in his colon, although Eddie is still passing fecals. Unfortunately, we are not seeing much improvement in the flotation disorder yet either, as Eddie's rear end remains positively buoyant.
19 November 2012: Eddie has been switched to a new medication, toltrazuril, to treat the coccidia. However, we still have not seen any improvement in his caudal buoyancy problem.
7 January 2013: Sweet Eddie is still struggling with a caudal buoyancy problem. However, he is able to dive down to the bottom of his tank to eat his small portion of lettuce and smelt each day. On a good note, his blood work looks great, and we are seeing no signs of renal damage due to the anti-parasitic medications Eddie has received. Come wish Eddie well when you visit the hospital, as this little turtle still has a lot to overcome.
2/26/13: Eddie still has an odd physical appearance (light gray skin and shell), and recent blood work revealed very low thyroid hormone levels. Our vet has prescribed levothyroxine, which will hopefully improve his ability to shed and regenerate keratin, and may also improve his GI stasis. Eddie is now on two oral medications daily (he's also on simethicone), but he eats well and hopefully these meds will help.
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Photo thanks to Barbara Bergwerf
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