Population Health Assessment on Tursiops truncatus from Matagorda Bay, Texas, Following a Mortality Event, 1992
IAAAM Archive
Jay C. Sweeney1, VMD; L. Rae Stone1, DVM; F. I. Townsend2, DVM; D. Casper3, DVM; L. Hansen4, MS
1Dolphin Quest, Inc, San Diego, CA; 2Friendship Veterinary Clinic, Walton Beach, FL; 3Long Marine Laboratory, Santa Cruz, CA; 4National Marine Fisheries Service, Miami, FL

During March and April of 1992, approximately 200 bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, were recovered from beaches in and around Matagorda Bay, Texas, a number which far exceeds normal seasonal mortalities. In response, the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service called together a multi-disciplinary team of marine mammalogists representing the fields of medicine, physiology, pathology, forensics, toxicology, cetacean capture, handling and management, and population dynamics. In July, 1992, this team captured 36 dolphins representing all age groups from within Matagorda Bay, and conducted complete bio-medical examinations on them. This presentation will include a description of procedures, including acquisition of morphometrics, hematology and blood chemistries, assessment of immune system function, cultures/serology for bacteria, fungi, and viruses, age determination from tooth extraction, toxicology from blubber biopsy, diagnostic ultrasound, diagnostic cytology, obstetrics assessment and measurement of testis size, energetics studies, freeze branding, and attachment of roto-tag or radio-telemetry tracking transmitters. A summary of results from these procedures and a description of the overall population health assessment will be included.

Speaker Information
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Jay C. Sweeney, VMD
Veterinary Consultants Service
San Diego, CA


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