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Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)
Stranding Location: Calibogue Sound near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Arrival Date: 8/9/2021
Age: Juvenile
Weight: 8.50 kg (19 lbs)
Case History
Bloodstone was hit by a boat in Calibogue Sound in between Daufuskie Island and Hilton Head Island. There is a bright side to this unlucky circumstance, as the boater who accidentally hit Bloodstone promptly contacted the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR). The boater was instructed to transport the turtle to a nearby dock and Amber Kuehn, SCDNR permit holder and Hilton Head Island Turtle Patrol member, picked up the injured Kemp’s and headed in the direction of Charleston. SCDNR technician Meredith Bean met Amber halfway between Hilton Head and Charleston and transported this patient to the Sea Turtle Care Center™ for emergency triage.
Treatment
Bloodstone is a very lucky, unlucky turtle! Bloodstone’s injuries were fresh. While they were actively bleeding, the blood loss appeared to be minimal based on bloodwork. Using x-ray and a CT scan, our vet team was able to better access the trauma caused by the boat strike. The boat strike impacted many different areas of this patient’s body. One of the propeller’s cut through the fourth and fifth marginal scutes on the left side of the body near the left front flipper. The left front flipper was very swollen and both the radius and ulna bones in that flipper are fractured. There was also a large, deep laceration in the soft tissue along the jaw, and the jaw bone itself is also fractured on the left side. The final fracture cut through the plastron (bottom shell) but fortunately, the gastrointestinal system was not involved. Another fortunate outcome is that there did not appear to be any trauma to the head based on CT, which is something we typically see with boat-strike injuries similar to this one. CT also revealed that there were contusions, or bruising, to the lungs as well. Though this Kemp’s was in very rough shape, all things considered, the impact of the propeller wounds could have been much worse. Bloodstone was put on pain management drugs, started on antibiotics and received fluids and vitamins. Admitting staff packed the wound on the marginal scutes with MediHoney gauze and put a pressure bandages over that area to help prevent further bleeding. Bloodstone was left to rest comfortably in a foam padded bin overnight.
Update
August 10, 2021: The following morning Bloodstone received more pain management drugs and a bandage change along with more fluids. Bloodstone then spent the next few days on pain meds and was left to rest comfortably in a bin in the exam room where he could be monitored closely by staff.
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