Abstract

On July 16, 2005, five Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus) stranded near Marco Island, Florida, and two, an adult male and an adult female, were taken to Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida for rehabilitation. This rare species had seldom been rehabilitated and data relating to normal blood values was very limited. During rehabilitation, the male was treated for gastric ulcers, pneumonia, and multiple infections, responding well to treatment. The female was treated for similar problems, but did not respond as well and nearly died several times over the next 5 months. The female was also found to be sero-positive for morbillivirus, EEE, VEE, toxoplasmosis, and a number of other disease processes, but never exhibited a rising titer for any of them. About 4 months into the rehabilitation, the female was found to be pregnant with an approximately 30 cm long fetus. Several times the female appeared to be healthy and was taken off all medications and each time the animal would experience a bout of leucopenia and anorexia. During the fourth such bout, the animal died. On necropsy, a pulmonary embolism, fungal pneumonia, bacteremia, and cerebral infarcts were identified. It is believed a nidus of infection was located somewhere, but there was no evidence of endocarditis, the usual nidus. Shortly after the female's death the male was released back to the wild.