Shertz

Species: Loggerhead Sea Turtle
(Caretta caretta)

Arrival Date: January 19, 2015
Stranding Location: Barnstable, MA

Initial Weight: 26.3 lbs.
Current Weight: 46.15 lbs.

Issue: Cold-stunned and bone infection.
Current Condition: Released

ADMISSION NOTE:

Shertz is a juvenile loggerhead sea turtle that stranded in the Cape Cod area cold-stunned. The turtle was transferred to LMC to receive long-term treatment as facilities in the Massachusetts area were over-capacity with other cold-stunned sea turtles.

PROGRESS KEY:

This turtle is progressing well and responding to therapy as desired.

There is a minor issue that we are working to resolve.

More details to follow.

PROGRESS NOTES:

10/26/2016 – Released on October 25th.

10/20/2016 – Cleared for release. The release is tentatively scheduled for October 25^th on Juno Beach behind Loggerhead Park. Updates will be posted on our Facebook page.

10/14/2016 – Shertz appears to be about ready for release.

9/29/2016 –

9/22/2016 – All medications and treatments have been discontinued.

9/14/2016 –

9/07/2016 –All treatments to the carapace wound have been discontinued.

9/01/2016 – There has been no return of proliferative tissue. A portion of the scars are becoming keratinized.

8/25/2016 –

8/17/2016 –

8/11/2016 –

8/07/2016 – The excessive tissue proliferation, that had been a problem, appears to be gone. The wound now appears to be healing well.

7/07/2016 – Cryosurgery was done on the wound twice to reduce the excessive granulation tissue. The procedures seem to have helped improve the wound. Raw honey is being packed in the wound for 1 hour a day. The turtle is now in the water for most of the day and night. Shertz is eating well.

6/08/2016 – Shertz underwent general anesthesia for surgical debridement of the carapace wound. A new topical treatment will be used that involves sealing over the wound.

5/19/2016 – The wound on the carapace has been debrided and continues to fill in with healthy tissue. This week a culture was taken to determine if an infection is still present.

4/28/2016 – We are seeing much better granulation and less caseous tissue. This is a good sign that the wound is healing well.

4/2/2016 – Shertz still has some infection in the carapace wound, so the wound was aggressively debrided under sedation. It now appears to be granulating better than before.

2/24/2016 – We performed a culture on the carapace wound and changed the medication used due to the results. The wound is granulating (healing) well.

2/1/2016 – The turtle is showing variable improvement. Topical treatment of the carapace lesion has been discontinued to allow the area to heal in.

1/8/2016 – The infection is causing the carapace lesion seems to be under control with the current treatment, and is now healing well.

12/17/2015 – Bloodwork has improved. Shertz has undergone a minor surgical procedure on the carapace abscess. A new treatment plan has been implemented after results were received from the bacterial culture.

11/30/2015 – A lesion has developed on Shertz’s carapace. A biopsy and culture have been taken of the lesion. We hope to have results in the next week to 10 days. White cell count has been fairly stable for the last month.

11/9/2015 – The new medication is working well and the white count has improved. We are hoping to be able to release Shertz in the next month or so.

10/26/2015 – Shertz has recovered from the endoscopic procedure. The turtle has been placed on a new medication to treat an infection that had begun before the procedure.

10/8/2015 – Shertz underwent an endoscopy procedure to remove a foreign body from the stomach. The procedure went well. The turtle is recovering nicely.

9/7/2015 – Shertz’s white cell count increased after being taken off antibiotics. A new antibiotic was started.

8/7/2015 – Shertz has been greatly improving. All medications have been discontinued. Bloodwork will need to be normal for the next two weeks before determining if this turtle will be ready for release.

7/6/2015 – Shertz has been improving.

6/15/2015 – Shertz has been placed on a new antibiotic treatment regimen due to a white count that continues to go up.

5/30/2015 – Shertz’ antifungal medications were discontinued and the antibiotics will be continued.

5/15/2015 – Bloodwork is due this week.

5/7/2015 – Shertz’ white cell count was slightly increased. Antibiotics were changed. Bloodwork will be done next week to evaluate the treatment plan.

4/22/2015 – No change with Shertz this week.

4/16/2015 – Shertz’s white cell count has continued to decrease. This turtle has been flipper and PIT tagged while still on antibiotics.

4/3/2015 – Bloodwork will be repeated this week to see if the new antibiotics have been effective.

4/1/2015 – Shertz white cell count was increasing. Antibiotics and antifungal medications have been changed.

3/17/2015 – The wound on the carapace is healing very well. Shertz is continuing to improve.

2/27/2015 – The injury in Shertz’ carapace seems to be healing well. The white cell count is slowly improving. Nebulization may be discontinued in the near future.

2/13/2015 – The clear patch has been taken off the carapace wound. The wound will now be treated topically. Laser therapy has been started on this wound as well. The turtle has developed some respiratory issues and has been started on nebulization.

2/2/2015 – Shertz has a deep, circular hole in the carapace about the size of a dime. It looks as though the hole was cause by a blunt force trauma. The carapace just smashed into this hole. This wound has been treated with honey. To keep the honey from dissolving in the water, a clear patch was placed over the hole and sealed with silicone. This turtle has not been eating great, but has been eating some on its own.

1/27/2015 – Shertz was transferred to LMC from New England Aquarium due to huge numbers of turtles stranding in Cape Cod. The turtle arrived in fairly good condition, other than a penetrating wound on its carapace. The turtle is receiving antibiotics and topical treatments of its carapace. Turtle is eating fairly well.