Abstract

Between January 1992 and December 1994, the most common cause of death in northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) that died during rehabilitation following live stranding along the central California coastline was infection with Otostrongylus circumlitus. 40% of 179 animals died with these nematodes in the lungs or heart. Histologic examination revealed a severe arteritis, and microthrombi were often present in multiple organs, suggesting disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) was an important process associated with mortality. Although mortality occurred in 3 - 4 month old animals, larvae were not detected in feces of animals under 8 months of age. Diagnosis of infection is thus problematic, while treatment is stressful to the animal, difficult and expensive. Diagnosis of DIC is possible in the live animal if baseline coagulation assay data are available. Coagulation assays were therefore performed on 20 healthy juvenile northern elephant seals (Table 1). These data were used to diagnose DIC in an animal that suddenly became comatose 3 weeks after stranding (Table 2). The antemortem diagnosis of DIC may be a useful prognostic tool for the clinician treating northern elephant seals.

Table 1. Baseline coagulation assay values from 20 northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) s.d. = standard deviation.* The ranges for 56° fibrinogen, antithrombin III and activated clotting time were established using the method Solberg (1981).

Table 2. Hematological, serum biochemical and coagulation assay results from a northern elephant seal ove three week. Reference values are from Bossart & Dierauf, 1990. APTT = activated partial thrombo plastin time. FDP = fibrinogen degradation products, GGT = gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, AST = aspartate transaminase, ALT = alanine transaminase.