Dolphin & Whale Hospital Mote Marine Laboratory

Current Patients Vixen (Steno bredanensis) Moonshine (Stenella attenuata) Harley (Stenella longirostris) Former Patients Seven Dwarfs (Steno bredanensis) Mayo (Tursiops truncatus) Caesar II (Tursiops truncatus) Toro (Tursiops truncatus) Jack (Tursiops truncatus) Carter (Tursiops truncatus) Simone (Kogia sima) CR (Tursiops truncatus) Armand (Kogia breviceps) Ami (Kogia breviceps) Anna (Kogia sima) Maria (Kogia sima) Jade (Tursiops truncatus) Nemo (Kogia breviceps) Mia (Kogia breviceps) Jason (Kogia breviceps) Dana (Kogia breviceps) Hemingway (Tursiops truncatus) Hutch (Kogia breviceps) Ginny (Delphinus delphis) Peanut (Tursiops truncatus) Hercules (Steno bredanensis) Holly (Steno bredanensis) Pumbaa (Mesoplodon europaeus) Pasco (Feresa attenuata) Vera (Kogia breviceps) Alvin (Steno bredanensis) Blitzen (Steno bredanensis) Comet (Steno bredanensis) Donner (Steno bredanensis) Abbey (Feresa attenuata) Buster (Tursiops truncatus hybrid coastal/offshore) Gulliver (Tursiops truncatus offshore stock) Mark (Tursiops truncatus) Belle (Tursiops truncatus) Benny (Tursiops truncatus offshore stock) Juno (Kogia breviceps) Richey (Kogia breviceps) Lunar (Feresa attenuata) Freeway (Tursiops truncatus) Matt (Tursiops truncatus)

Case Synopsis for Maria

aka MML0233

Species: Dwarf Sperm Whale (Kogia sima)  Age Class: Adult Gender: Female Date Stranded: 18 Sept. 2002 Location of Stranding: Whitney Beach, Longboat Key, Florida Date of Arrival at DWH: 18 Sept. 2002 Number of Days of Care: <1 Final Disposition: Euthanized 18 Sept. 2002
This whale was found beached on Longboat Key. It had been reported earlier in the day, but had been pushed back into the water by witnesses. It restranded that evening and was brought to Mote's Dolphin and Whale Hospital for assessment. Upon admission, the whale appeared to be semi-comatose, severely underweight, seemed to have one collapsed lung and had pulmonary edema in the other lung. An EKG revealed a very unusual pattern that was thought possibly due to cardiomyopathy. It was decided that euthanasia was the best choice for the whale and that was carried out under sedation.
Necropsy of this whale revealed consolidation of the right lung and pulmonary edema in the left lung, a dialated heart, and severe constipation with severe dehydration. There were also a large number of parasites found in the first two stomachs. The whale was found to be in early pregnancy as well.

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