Serengeti's Story
Boat Strike Injury
Serengeti is a juvenile green sea turtle that was rescued floating at the water’s surface in Stuart, FL. This patient sustained a blunt force injury to the top of their carapace (top-shell) close to their spine, indicative of a vessel strike. They even had an old, previously healed vessel strike injury just below their fresh wound! Vessel strikes often lead to shell deformities and trapped air pockets that cause sea turtles like Serengeti to float at the surface unable to dive, vulnerable to both predators and boat traffic.
Name: Serengeti
Species: Green (Cm)
Age class: Juvenile
Admission date: 1/7/2023
Ailment: Boat Strike Injury
Weight: 6.9 kg
Updates
1/7/23: Admitted for rehabilitation. Intake exam with x-rays and blood taken. Administer first dose of medications and fluid therapy, and start supportive care regiment.
1/10/23: Apply wound V.A.C. to injury and dry dock patient for first 2 days.
1/12/23: Administer epogen and fluid therapy. Move patient to tank with just running water continuing wound V.A.C.
1/26/23: Begin administering Gas-X, TPN, and tube feeding if necessary. Send in urine sample.
1/30/23: Velcroed 100g of weight to carapace to help manage buoyancy. Continue monitoring behavior.
2/11/23: Continuing to administer TPN when possible, difficulty drawing blood for evaluation.
3/14/23: Transferred for rehabilitation at Loggerhead Marine life Center.
