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Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)
Stranding Location: Myrtle Beach State Park Pier, SC
Arrival Date: 4/30/2019
Age: Juvenile
Weight: 16.16 kg (36.2 pounds)
Case History
Myrtle Beach State Park rangers received a call about a hooked loggerhead sea turtle at the pier. Once at the scene, state park rangers carefully brought Iggy up by using a dip net and accessed the hooked turtle. Luckily for Iggy, the hook only caught the carapace (top shell). However, when the rangers saw that he was thin and was covered in more barnacles than usual, they called the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR). SCDNR transporter Linda Mataya of Surfside Garden City S.C.U.T.E promptly arrived at the pier to transport this little logger to the South Carolina Aquarium for treatment.
Treatment
When Iggy arrived, he was lethargic and was on the thinner side for a loggerhead. STCC staff quickly took a heart rate, pulled blood and set up the table for radiographs. To be sure there were no other hooks present in his esophagus or GI tract, vet staff did a series of radiographs. Unfortunately, radiographs showed that two J-hooks were located somewhere in the stomach and upper GI, along with a leader indicating that monofilament line could also be attached. Bloodwork results indicated that Iggy was also anemic, or had a low packed cell volume, and was dehydrated. Iggy was given fluids, vitamins, started on antibiotics, and received hetastarch to help draw fluids into the vascular space, aiding blood circulation and hydration. Vet staff decided that it would be best to let Iggy rest overnight after his big rescue and before undertaking surgery to remove the hooks.
Updates
May 1, 2019: Iggy received surgery the morning after admit to remove the hooks seen on x-ray. A small incision was made at the base of the esophagus and a flexible endoscope was used to visualize where the hooks were located within the stomach. Endoscope and CT showed that the hooks were actually below the stomach and through some of the intestinal loops and would not be able to be removed during that procedure. Given the location of the hooks, and Iggy’s anemia, we decided to give him a little time to see if he is able to pass them on his own before going in surgically again. We are closely monitoring the location of these hooks by taking radiographs to see how they are moving through the GI. Iggy’s prognosis is guarded, but we are hopeful that Iggy will be able to pass them without another another surgery.
May 2, 2019: Iggy was slow to recover from the effects of anesthesia but had a strong heartbeat and was breathing on his own following surgery. The next day, we placed Iggy in a shallow water tank and offered him one piece of food; Iggy ate immediately! For now, we are continuing the radiographs and monitoring him closely.
May 6, 2019: As luck would have it, Iggy passed the first hook and leader without surgery! He has been eating well and is less floaty than before. We will continue to monitor him closely for the second hook fragment to pass.
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