BackgroundUp to 150 wild harbor seal pups (Phoca vitulina) are admitted annually to our rescue ce... more BackgroundUp to 150 wild harbor seal pups (Phoca vitulina) are admitted annually to our rescue centre. All require medical management including gavage feeding until weaned to whole fish prior to release back to the wild. The rehabilitation model is personnel intensive requiring animal restraint and force feeding. To the best of our knowledge, no systematic imaging has been conducted on the upper aerodigestive tract of wild seal pups. As a result, the information regarding their swallowing physiology is limited as are ways in which to optimize their feeding and swallowing rehabilitation. Our objectives were to develop a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) protocol and to determine the feasibility of conducting a VFSS with a wild seal.MethodsFeasibility parameters included the determination of: contrast delivery methods, image capture and analyses, and the operational and infrastructure requirements. A Siemens mobile c‐arm fluoroscopy unit and retrofitted tub were utilized for i...
Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, Sep 1, 2013
Routine hematological and serum chemistry parameters are important tools for the evaluation of he... more Routine hematological and serum chemistry parameters are important tools for the evaluation of health and the treatment of marine mammals admitted to rehabilitation centers. The evaluation of phagocytosis, oxidative burst and immunoglobulin G (IgG), as markers of immune system function, and haptoglobin (Hp), as a stress marker, were evaluated alongside routine hematology and chemistry as potentially informative diagnostic tools for marine mammal health assessments. Blood samples from harbor seal pups (Phoca vitulina) admitted to (n=46), and released from (n=28), the Vancouver Aquarium's Marine Mammal Rescue Center (VAMMRC) were collected (1) to perform routine and novel functional approaches to evaluate the health of pups at admission; (2) to determine how these parameters changed during the rehabilitation process; and (3) to generate baseline values for reference purposes. Sodium was the only blood parameter which differed between seal pups that survived and those that died, with the surviving pups exhibiting higher levels on admission diagnostics. Positive correlations between total protein concentrations, IgG and Hp levels were observed with globulin concentrations of seal pups. Changes in serum chemistry values between admission and release included a decrease in red blood cells (RBCs), glucose, bicarbonate, total bilirubin, γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels, and an increase in mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell hemoglobin (MCH), mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), lymphocytes, eosinophils, urea, potassium, anion gap, calcium, phosphorus, total protein, albumin, globulin and osmolality levels. During the rehabilitation process, phagocytosis decreased, while Hp levels increased. Age and improved health appeared to underlie changes in these parameters during the rehabilitation period.
OBJECTIVE To establish normal values for pre- and post-prandial bile acids and protein C in Pacif... more OBJECTIVE To establish normal values for pre- and post-prandial bile acids and protein C in Pacific harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardsi) pups. ANIMALS 45 harbor seals undergoing rehabilitation at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, 0 to 16 weeks, and deemed healthy aside from malnutrition or maternal separation. PROCEDURES Venous blood was collected from the intervertebral extradural sinus in fasted seals and again 2 hours after a fish meal. RESULTS The reference interval (90% CL, confidence limit) for pre-prandial (fasting) bile acids was 17.2 μmol/L to 25.4 μmol/L, post-prandial bile acids were 36.9 μmol/L to 46.4 μmol/L, and protein C was 72.3% to 85.4%, across ages. For comparison between developmental ages, pups were grouped into 3 age classes: < 14 days, 5 to 8 weeks, and 10 to 16 weeks. Age affected pre- and post-prandial bile acids; pups < 14 days had significantly higher pre-prandial bile acids (36.0 μmol/L ± 16.5 μmol/L; P < .0001) than other age...
Abstract: A 1.5 kg, male, wild-caught tiger rat snake (Spilotes pullatus) presented with an exter... more Abstract: A 1.5 kg, male, wild-caught tiger rat snake (Spilotes pullatus) presented with an externally visible distension of the body wall at the level of the heart. Ultrasound examination showed marked pericardial effusion. Pericardial fluid showed no bacterial or fungal growth, few leukocytes, and few suspected reactive mesothelial or neoplastic cells. Therapeutic pericardiocentesis was successfully performed, removing most of the fluid from the pericardial sac. The snake had mild lethargy and weakness immediately after the procedure but returned to normal behavior within 2 wk. Repeat pericardiocentesis was performed 6 mo after the initial presentation when moderate refilling of the pericardial sac was seen. The snake died 4 days after the second procedure with acute hemorrhage. Pericardial mesothelioma was diagnosed by histopathology after postmortem examination. This report provides the first documented case of mesothelioma in a tiger rat snake and the first description of the d...
Cryptococcus gattii is a fungal pathogen that primarily affects the respiratory and nervous syste... more Cryptococcus gattii is a fungal pathogen that primarily affects the respiratory and nervous systems of humans and other animals. C. gattii emerged in temperate North America in 1999 as a multispecies outbreak of cryptococcosis in British Columbia (Canada) and Washington State and Oregon (USA), affecting humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Here we describe the C. gattii epizootic in odontocetes. Cases of C. gattii were identified in 42 odontocetes in Washington and British Columbia between 1997 and 2016. Species affected included harbor porpoises Phocoena phocoena (n = 26), Dall’s porpoises Phocoenoides dalli (n = 14), and Pacific white-sided dolphins Lagenorhynchus obliquidens (n = 2). The probable index case was identified in an adult male Dall’s porpoise in 1997, 2 yr prior to the initial terrestrial outbreak. The spatiotemporal extent of the C. gattii epizootic was defined, and cases in odontocetes were found to be clustered around terrestrial C. gattii hotspots. Case-control...
BackgroundUp to 150 wild harbor seal pups (Phoca vitulina) are admitted annually to our rescue ce... more BackgroundUp to 150 wild harbor seal pups (Phoca vitulina) are admitted annually to our rescue centre. All require medical management including gavage feeding until weaned to whole fish prior to release back to the wild. The rehabilitation model is personnel intensive requiring animal restraint and force feeding. To the best of our knowledge, no systematic imaging has been conducted on the upper aerodigestive tract of wild seal pups. As a result, the information regarding their swallowing physiology is limited as are ways in which to optimize their feeding and swallowing rehabilitation. Our objectives were to develop a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) protocol and to determine the feasibility of conducting a VFSS with a wild seal.MethodsFeasibility parameters included the determination of: contrast delivery methods, image capture and analyses, and the operational and infrastructure requirements. A Siemens mobile c‐arm fluoroscopy unit and retrofitted tub were utilized for i...
Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, Sep 1, 2013
Routine hematological and serum chemistry parameters are important tools for the evaluation of he... more Routine hematological and serum chemistry parameters are important tools for the evaluation of health and the treatment of marine mammals admitted to rehabilitation centers. The evaluation of phagocytosis, oxidative burst and immunoglobulin G (IgG), as markers of immune system function, and haptoglobin (Hp), as a stress marker, were evaluated alongside routine hematology and chemistry as potentially informative diagnostic tools for marine mammal health assessments. Blood samples from harbor seal pups (Phoca vitulina) admitted to (n=46), and released from (n=28), the Vancouver Aquarium&#39;s Marine Mammal Rescue Center (VAMMRC) were collected (1) to perform routine and novel functional approaches to evaluate the health of pups at admission; (2) to determine how these parameters changed during the rehabilitation process; and (3) to generate baseline values for reference purposes. Sodium was the only blood parameter which differed between seal pups that survived and those that died, with the surviving pups exhibiting higher levels on admission diagnostics. Positive correlations between total protein concentrations, IgG and Hp levels were observed with globulin concentrations of seal pups. Changes in serum chemistry values between admission and release included a decrease in red blood cells (RBCs), glucose, bicarbonate, total bilirubin, γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels, and an increase in mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell hemoglobin (MCH), mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), lymphocytes, eosinophils, urea, potassium, anion gap, calcium, phosphorus, total protein, albumin, globulin and osmolality levels. During the rehabilitation process, phagocytosis decreased, while Hp levels increased. Age and improved health appeared to underlie changes in these parameters during the rehabilitation period.
OBJECTIVE To establish normal values for pre- and post-prandial bile acids and protein C in Pacif... more OBJECTIVE To establish normal values for pre- and post-prandial bile acids and protein C in Pacific harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardsi) pups. ANIMALS 45 harbor seals undergoing rehabilitation at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, 0 to 16 weeks, and deemed healthy aside from malnutrition or maternal separation. PROCEDURES Venous blood was collected from the intervertebral extradural sinus in fasted seals and again 2 hours after a fish meal. RESULTS The reference interval (90% CL, confidence limit) for pre-prandial (fasting) bile acids was 17.2 μmol/L to 25.4 μmol/L, post-prandial bile acids were 36.9 μmol/L to 46.4 μmol/L, and protein C was 72.3% to 85.4%, across ages. For comparison between developmental ages, pups were grouped into 3 age classes: < 14 days, 5 to 8 weeks, and 10 to 16 weeks. Age affected pre- and post-prandial bile acids; pups < 14 days had significantly higher pre-prandial bile acids (36.0 μmol/L ± 16.5 μmol/L; P < .0001) than other age...
Abstract: A 1.5 kg, male, wild-caught tiger rat snake (Spilotes pullatus) presented with an exter... more Abstract: A 1.5 kg, male, wild-caught tiger rat snake (Spilotes pullatus) presented with an externally visible distension of the body wall at the level of the heart. Ultrasound examination showed marked pericardial effusion. Pericardial fluid showed no bacterial or fungal growth, few leukocytes, and few suspected reactive mesothelial or neoplastic cells. Therapeutic pericardiocentesis was successfully performed, removing most of the fluid from the pericardial sac. The snake had mild lethargy and weakness immediately after the procedure but returned to normal behavior within 2 wk. Repeat pericardiocentesis was performed 6 mo after the initial presentation when moderate refilling of the pericardial sac was seen. The snake died 4 days after the second procedure with acute hemorrhage. Pericardial mesothelioma was diagnosed by histopathology after postmortem examination. This report provides the first documented case of mesothelioma in a tiger rat snake and the first description of the d...
Cryptococcus gattii is a fungal pathogen that primarily affects the respiratory and nervous syste... more Cryptococcus gattii is a fungal pathogen that primarily affects the respiratory and nervous systems of humans and other animals. C. gattii emerged in temperate North America in 1999 as a multispecies outbreak of cryptococcosis in British Columbia (Canada) and Washington State and Oregon (USA), affecting humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Here we describe the C. gattii epizootic in odontocetes. Cases of C. gattii were identified in 42 odontocetes in Washington and British Columbia between 1997 and 2016. Species affected included harbor porpoises Phocoena phocoena (n = 26), Dall’s porpoises Phocoenoides dalli (n = 14), and Pacific white-sided dolphins Lagenorhynchus obliquidens (n = 2). The probable index case was identified in an adult male Dall’s porpoise in 1997, 2 yr prior to the initial terrestrial outbreak. The spatiotemporal extent of the C. gattii epizootic was defined, and cases in odontocetes were found to be clustered around terrestrial C. gattii hotspots. Case-control...
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