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INDEX |
AND STAFF |
TRACKING |
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ALBUM |
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| dare | bay | india | swan | casper | oakley | caretta | richie | cheyenne | duke |
| beaufort | AT II | breakers | obey | morehead |
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nemo | marlin | dorey | |
| crushII | bogue | holden II | marsh | shackleford |
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mason |
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Caretta caretta Juvenile |
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| THE STRANDING | This turtle had stranded on a sand bar
in Rich Inlet, near Scotts Hill Marina, with extensive damage to the bony
structure of the carapace. There are four serious cuts, the last
one nearly severing the last four inches of the posterior carapace.
A family out in a boat found the turtle, notified authorities, and asked and received permission to bring the turtle into the marina. Considering the size and condition of the turtle this required a major effort. Thanks to these folks for their consideration of this helpless and dying sea turtle. |
| THE TREATMENT | At the KBSTRRC the wounds were
cleaned and flushed, then packed with triple antibiotic ointment.
The turtle was started on Fortaz and Clindamycin, a powerful one-two punch
of antibiotics. Pain medication was administered as was an injection
of vitamin K to promote blood clotting.
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| AUG 13, 2003 | On August 13 this turtle was taken to the College of Veterinary Medicine at NC State. Here during surgery surgical steel braces were applied in hopes that the developing scar tissue will pull the bone together. The turtle returned to the KBSTRRC that same night. |
| SEPT 2003 | Richie has been placed in shallow water as the lungs
have been impacted.
Several days after the surgery Richie began to eat eagerly. |
  
On the exam table for bandage change and wound debridement. Exposed lung above. Below, a water pik is used to lavage the wound sites after debridement.   
Sometimes biting on a towel helps withstand the pain.  The wounds are packed
with antibiotic ointment, covered with gauze, and then covered with Ioban,
a antimicrobial incise drape used during human surgical procedures.
Holds remarkably well under water for sea turtle use. |
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| NOV 12 2003 |   
As expected, the necrotic bone is exposed |
| NOV 22, 2003 |  |
| MAY 2004 |  |
| SEPT 2004 |  
Ready to go, 1 year later and a lot larger. Stay out of the inlets Richie. |
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