NEWS and ACTIVITIES
Costa Rica
Sea Turtle Health
and Rehabilitation
Workshop
February 24 to February 29, 2012
Speakers
Noha Abou-Madi, DVM, Diplomate American College of Zoological Medicine (DACZM), Professor, Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY Wildlife Rehabilitation and Zoological Medicine specialist
Nancy Mettee, DVM, Veterinarian, Loggerhead Marinelife Center and Emergency Private Practice, Juno Beach, Florida, Sea Turtle Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Surgery
Terry M. Norton, DVM, DACZM, Director and Veterinarian, Georgia Sea Turtle Center/Jekyll Island Authority, Jekyll Island, GA Wildlife and Zoological Medicine, Wildlife Health. St. Catherines Island Foundation, St. Catherines Island, GA Wildlife Veterinarian.
Brian Stacy, DVM, PhD, University of Florida College of Veterinary
Medicine, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Gainesville, FL Wildlife and Sea Turtle Pathologist
Saturday February 25
9:00-9:50
First response to stranded live sea turtles: managing sea turtle strandings in a remote setting. TN
10 min break
10-11:30
Managing sea turtle unusual mortality events (UME) (BS)
11:30-11:45 Break
11:45-12:05
Neurological loggerhead syndrome an example of an UME (will discuss HABs in general and treatment)(TN)
12:10-12:30
Cold stun in FL, an example of an UME and clinical aspects (NM)
12:30-2:00
Lunch
2:00-2:50
CSI for sea turtles (NM)
3:00-4:00
Sea Turtle
Anatomy (TN) GI, CNS, reproductive (20 min)
(NM) renal, Respiratory, skeletal (20 min), (NA) Abou-madi
ocular, endocrine, Cardiovascular
4:10-5:10
Pathology by disease and symptoms (BS)
After dinner go over hands on lab
PE, blood drawing sites, injection sites, intubation, tube feeding TN 20 min.
Surgery, fish hook and line injuries, esophagostomy tube (NM) 30 min
Sunday February 26
Start 8:30 am
Hands on demonstrations and laboratories
1) Clinical techniques on carcasses: NM, TN, NA, BS
a. Physical examination
b. Injection routes (inject food coloring), check where injection occurred during necropsy; proper disposal of needles and other sharps
c. Fluid therapy IV, IC, SQ, IC tap
d. Tube feeding (use of mouth gags, feeding)
e. Surgical approach to the coelom for fish hooks and line removal, laparoscopic approaches
f. Esophagotomy tubes
g. Intubation
2) Necropsy techniques (BS, NM, TN, NA)
Late Afternoon for seeing the site, discussions. Possibly participants present cases or problems for discussion with group, project presentations, interactive.
After dinner Avian rehabilitation (NA)
Monday February 27
8:30-9:10 am
Sea turtle transport considerations, husbandry, nutrition and feeding practices, facilities (TN)
9:20-10:00
Capture and handling, History, Hospital Protocol (PE, Blood collection/analysis, banking) at MSC (NM)
10:00-10-45
Prescription basics NM
10:45-11:00
Euthanasia MN- 20 min
Advanced sea turtle rehabilitation:
Common problems and medical management:
11:10-11:20
flotation abnormalities TN
11:20-11:35
debilitation TN
11:40-12:00
oil contamination including Therapy (BS)
Lunch 12:00-1:00
1:00-1:15
boat strikes and other injuries: wound management TN GSTC methods
1:20-1:35
Wound Vac Therapy and other methods specifically developed by LMLC
1:35-2:10
Infectious diseases (bacterial and fungal infections) NM (15 min)
Fibropapilloma NM (20 min)
2:15-2:40
parasites BS (15 min) TN diagnostics and therapy (10 min)
15 min break
2:55-3:45
osteomyelitis TN
heat stress TN
Diagnostics (clin path that was not discussed earlier, radiology, advanced imaging, endoscopy) TN
Emergency and critical care (fluid therapy, non antibiotic meds, CPR, etc) TN
3:50-4:00
transfusion. NM
4:05-4:35
Antimicrobial therapy NA (20 min), TN (5 min) and NM (5 min) personal experience/preferences
4:40-5:15
Anesthesia and pain management (NA primary 25 min, NM Propofol (5 min), TN ket, DM, butor 5 min)
Tuesday February 28
Tuesday 28 Morning leave for Playa Blanca arrive
Lunch
Travel time, start Tues afternoon into Wed. End Wed afternoon.
Clinical techniques on live turtles (nesting females) (TN, NM, BS, NA):
a. Physical exam, Blood drawing (demonstration of blood collection from the cervical sinus)
b. Handling of blood samples, processing of samples to measure hematocrit, total solids, glucose and evaluation of blood smears
Time for discussions, assessment of facilities, equipment needs, project presentations.
Wednesday February 29
Finish in the afternoon
Cost:
The course cost is $125 including all food, lodging, inter course travel and materials. Payable to our foundation account: Banco Nacional de Costa Rica # 100-02-195-000082-6. Participants must arrive to RPT on their own and depart from Playa Blanca on their own.
Participants may arrive the evening (24th) with room only and welcome snack provided, full room and board (food) starts Saturday breakfast).
