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INDEX |
AND STAFF |
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ALBUM |
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| piver | dare | pepper | bear | sharkey | avon | oakie | coquina | honey | hook |
| stacys | kiawah | baldy | bay | isle |
PEPPER
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(Chelonia mydas) ADULT - MALE |
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| THE INJURY | An adult male Green Sea Turtle found near
Atlantic
Beach, NC.
He was floating and unable to submerge. No further details on the stranding at this time 7/4/99. |
| THE TREATMENT | NC State Sea Turtle Project Coordinator
Ruth Boettcher
transported the sea turtle to the KBSTRRC.
He is receiving antibiotics (amikacin) and fluids. Current PCV is 25. The turtle is listing severely to one side. Suspect air in coelemic cavity. |
| UPDATE 7/15/99 | Pepper has temporarily set aside his
vegetarian diet,
in favor of a sea turtle hospital favorite, squid. Has a good
appetite
despite his list.
 That's his tail curled over the rear flipper |
| UPDATE 8/4/99 | Pepper received a house call courtesy of
the NC State
University College of Veterinary Medicine.
A portable X-Ray machine was used and blood was drawn from his tail. Additionally 19.2 Liters of air were aspirated from coelemic cavity. |
Click on images for enlargement
Pepper ready for X-Ray |
Portable X-ray machine |
Good Doctors hard at work |
Measured and weighed |
Blood sample from tail |
Turned for examination |
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| UPDATE 12/1/99 | The source of leaking air seemed to have
self repaired.
Pepper is now able to remain submerged in a natural position.
 Now
for some reason Pepper has lost some scute protection,
exposing bone.PCV is 28% and Glucose is 100 mg/dl |
| UPDATE 3/28/00 | Due to sepsis, a major infection, body
fluids collected
between bone and scutes, lifting the scutes and a thin layer of bone.
  
Thin layer of necrotic bone removed, reveals healthy tissue underneath  Under-side of bone |
| UPDATE
4/28/00 |
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| UPDATE 6/21/00 |  
click for video clip Pepper gets a lift to a larger tank, outside, and stretches out. Can Sea Turtles experience joy? So it would seem. |
| UPDATE May,13 2001 |
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| UPDATE
July 14, 2001 |
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| Sept 2001 |  Just
weeks from release, Pepper receives flipper and PIT tags, and gives a
small
blood sample, reluctantly. |
| AUG 2008 |
Pepper,
dubbed the Shamu of Topsail Beach during his recovery because of his
engaging personality, has found his way to another sea turtle hospital,
in Marathon Key, Florida. Looks like his old floatation problems
are back. He has been out in the world for seven years since we
last saw him. Visit the Turtle Hospital to see him again. The Turtle Hospital Marathon, FL They have named him OD, but he'll always be PEPPER to us. |
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