Coraline

Species: Green Sea Turtle
(Chelonia mydas)

Stranding Date: April 28, 2014
Stranding Location: Port St. Lucie, Florida

Initial Weight: 5.68 lbs.
Current Weight: 13.75 lbs.

Injury: Chronic Debilitated Syndrome
Current Condition: Improving

ADMISSION NOTE:

Coraline is a juvenile green sea turtle that stranded in the FPL St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant intake canal. Coraline is emaciated, lethargic and arrived with numerous large barnacles on the carapace which caused some shell damage. Bloodwork showed the turtle’s glucose level was stable. Coraline will be treated with betadine scrubs to the affected areas and will receive antibiotics as prescribed.

 

PROGRESS NOTES:

2/17/2016 – Coraline was released on February 17th at Coral Cove Park after successful rehabilitation at LMC.

2/1/2016 – Radiographs were taken of the previously affected elbow and they indicate complete healing of the bones involved. The turtle’s white blood cell count has remained low, so we have just discontinued all antibiotics.

1/8/2016 – Coraline is still showing gradual improvement on the current treatment. We will continue this course of antibiotics until the bloodwork is consistently normal.

12/17/2015 – Coraline’s bloodwork has shown steady improvement over the last month. Her current treatments will be continued until bloodwork is consistently normal.

11/30/2015 – Coraline’s white count has been variable and we are trying a new antibiotic combination.   We will continue to monitor closely.

11/9/2015 – Coraline’s white count has improved dramatically.  Radiographs of the shoulder show the bone as being almost completely healed.  We will continue to monitor closely.

10/26/2015 – Coraline continues to be on the new medication. We have also added additional medications to potentially eliminate the issue.  The turtle continues to be monitored closely as we adjust the medications.

10/8/2015 – Coraline is still on the new medication. We have also added additional medications in order to potentially eliminate the issue.  The turtle continues to be monitored closely.

9/7/2015 – This turtle continues to have issues. We are starting Coraline on an antibiotic that has not been used with any other sea turtles. We will monitor Coraline closely during this treatment.

8/7/2015 – Coraline continues to be a medical mystery. After a few weeks of normal bloodwork, the turtle had a spike in white cell count again. A new treatment plan was created, and the turtle will continue to be monitored.

7/6/2015 – The final blood culture result was negative. Coraline’s bloodwork started to improve. Antibiotics were changed.

6/15/2015 – Coraline’s blood culture preliminary results were negative, but we will not have final results for 1-2 more weeks.  Coraline has been started on a new antibiotic in the meantime.

5/15/2015 – A blood culture will be done on Coraline in the next few weeks to determine if Coraline has any further infections and the best possible treatment for that infection.

5/15/2015 – Coraline’s white cell count is slowly improving. The current treatment plan will be continued.

5/6/2015 – Bloodwork has been taken weekly since the start of the new antibiotics. No changes have been noted in the bloodwork, so the bloodwork will be re-evaluated this week.

4/22/2015 – Coraline’s white cell count has remained elevated. A new antibiotic will be used for this turtle.

4/16/2015 – Coraline’s white cell count was elevated. The medications have been adjusted to treat the turtle.

4/3/2015 – Coraline’s culture results have been finalized. The treatment plan has been changed.

4/1/2015 – Coraline has been doing well and is not hesitating to use the effected flipper. Culture results are still pending.

3/17/2015 – A culture was done on the flipper lesion and sent to a microbiology laboratory for analysis. It will take several weeks before we will receive the results of the culture.

2/27/2015 – The flipper lesion seems to be stable and not getting worse. This turtle will continue to be observed.

2/13/2015 – Coraline’s right flipper seems a little swollen. Radiographs were done on both flippers to see if there in any bone involvement. It looks as though Coraline has a healing lesion in the front right flipper.

2/2/2015 – There have been no significant changes with Coraline this week. Bloodwork will be done soon to determine if the new antibiotics are working well.

1/27/2015 – Coraline’s white cell count increased significantly after being off antibiotics for only a few weeks. Coraline was placed back on oral antibiotics and will continue to be monitored. Coraline is behaving and eating well despite the high blood value.

1/20/2015 – Coraline’s bloodwork did not change from two weeks ago. All antibiotics were discontinued and Coraline was started on antifungal medication. Coraline has been doing well since antibiotics were discontinued. Coraline’s bloodwork will continue to be monitored closely to see if the antifungal medication will help bring the white cell count down. Antifungal medications usually take weeks to even months before results will be seen.

1/5/2015 – Because Coraline’s bloodwork is improving, she will remain on the same treatment for one more week.  Then bloodwork will be rechecked to consider stopping treatment.

12/30/2014 – Coraline’s bloodwork has improved greatly. The treatment plan will be re-evaluated to determine if Coraline can be taken off medications.

12/22/2014 – Coraline continues to do very well.

12/15/2014 – Coraline has been doing well. A blood recheck will be done soon to recheck its white blood cell count.

12/8/2014 – Coraline has been put back on medication.  Bloodwork revealed an elevated white count.

12/1/2014 – Coraline has been taken off all medication.  Bloodwork will be repeated in the very near future.

11/24/2014 – Coraline’s bloodwork has improved. The current treatment plan will be re-evaluated.

11/18/2014 – Coraline’s bloodwork was pushed back a week. She will be rechecked in the next few days.

11/10/2014 – Coraline is still eating well and looks to be improving. Bloodwork will be rechecked this coming week.

11/3/2014 – Bloodwork was checked on Coraline. The white cell count appears to still be elevated. Coraline has been started on new antibiotics. Bloodwork will be rechecked in the coming week to determine if the new medication is working.