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1 June 2014 MANAGEMENT OF WOUNDS IN A LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE (CARETTA CARETTA) CAUSED BY TRAUMATIC BYCATCH INJURY FROM THE SPINES OF A SPOTTED EAGLE RAY (AETOBATUS NARINARI)
Marisa Bezjian, James F. X. Wellehan, Michael T. Walsh, Eric Anderson, Elliott Jacobson
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Abstract

A subadult female loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) was caught in a trawl net off the west coast of Florida with a spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) spine lodged in the left stifle. Surgical removal of the spine was performed and antibiotic treatment was initiated. Four weeks later, endoscopy revealed a second spine entering an intestinal lumen. The fistulous tract of the left prefemoral fossa was surgically excised and the intestinal perforation was repaired. Dehiscence occurred and a vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) system was used on the wound for approximately 18 days to help reduce infection and increase the rate of healing. The left stifle wound was treated to heal by second intention. The turtle remained in rehabilitation for 19 mo before being released off the west coast of Florida. This case describes stingray envenomation injuries as a complex and potentially life-threatening bycatch effect to sea turtles caught in trawl nets.

American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
Marisa Bezjian, James F. X. Wellehan, Michael T. Walsh, Eric Anderson, and Elliott Jacobson "MANAGEMENT OF WOUNDS IN A LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE (CARETTA CARETTA) CAUSED BY TRAUMATIC BYCATCH INJURY FROM THE SPINES OF A SPOTTED EAGLE RAY (AETOBATUS NARINARI)," Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 45(2), 428-432, (1 June 2014). https://doi.org/10.1638/2013-0178R.1
Received: 29 July 2013; Published: 1 June 2014
KEYWORDS
Aetobatus narinari
bycatch
Caretta caretta
Loggerhead turtle
stingray spine
trawl net
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