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 Toro

aka MML0403

Species: Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)  Age Class: Juvenile Gender: Female Date Stranded: 9 Mar 2004 Location of Stranding: Bull Bay in Charlotte Harbor Date of Arrival at DWH: 9 Mar 2004 Number of Days of Care: 56 days Final Disposition: Released into Bull Bay 4 May 2004 Dolphin on Admission
3/9 This dolphin was observed entangled in monofilament fishing line about two weeks ago and has been monitored since that time. The monofilament was damaging the dorsal fin and was entirely encircling the right pectoral fin. The dolphin was captured today for assessment and it was determined that the dolphin was likely to lose its pectoral fin and possibly its life if it was not brought in for medical care. 3/10 Dolphin underwent surgery this morning to remove the dead and excess tissue from both the dorsal fin and the right pectoral fin. Doing well after the surgery. 3/11 Dolphin is not eating dead fish yet, but is very active and alert. We started infrared light therapy on the wound this morning and plan to x-ray the flipper on Monday. 3/13 Dolphin ate four live fish and one dead herring yesterday and then took two dead herring this morning. Wound care is going well and blood flow continues to be good in the pectoral fin. 3/14 Dolphin is now eating everything that she is fed. Wounds are progressing well. 3/16 Dolphin is continuing to do well. Radiographs indicated some bone reaction in the area of the wound, but treatment should eliminate that soon. 3/18 Wounds are healing very well and it looks likely that the pectoral fin will be saved. Dolphin is eating enough that she is gaining back the weight she lost before she started eating. Outlook is promising. 3/19 White count is almost down to normal and wounds are healing very well. Appetite is great. 3/24 Dolphin is doing very well. White count is now normal. 3/26 Dolphin vomited once during the night and is a little "off her feed." Took blood sample to see what the problem might be. 3/27 Not eating well. Will plan to do gastroscopy tomorrow to evaluate stomach. 3/28 Gastroscopy revealed no problems with the stomach. Blood work is fine. Eating better today. 3/31 Appetite is up and down, but appears to be behavioral rather than medical. Debrided more tissue from her fin and healing seems to be progressing well. 4/4 Dolphin's appetite has improved and wounds are healing well. We are applying for permission for release in the near future. 4/12 Dolphin continues to do well. Wounds healing well. 4/20 Dolphin has been approved for release later this week. Wounds are almost completely healed and dolphin is doing very well. 4/22 Release has been delayed for 7-10 days due to intestinal infection. Should respond quickly to treatment. 4/25 Appetite is better, as is behavior. Will undergo exam tomorrow. 4/26 Appetite is much improved, but infection is no better. Changing antibiotics. 5/1 Exam yesterday indicated that the infection is almost gone, so we have rescheduled release for next week. Dolphin will have one more exam on Monday that must be normal before the dolphin can be released. 5/4 Dolphin was released back into Bull Bay at 9:12 am this morning. Swam away well and appears to be doing well. Will be tracking it for the next month or so. 5/5 Dolphin was tracked yesterday afternoon and today. Dolphin is associating with at least one other dolphin and is spending most of its time in either Bull Bay or Turtle Bay, behaving like every other dolphin in the area. 5/10 Dolphin was observed by scientists from the Sarasota Dolphin Biology Program this weekend near Cape Haze with four other subadult dolphins. Everything appeared normal regarding behavior. 5/12 Toro was tracked yesterday, back in Bull Bay and observed eating fish. 5/17 Dolphin was tracked several times over the last few days. Still in the same area and still doing well. 5/24 Dolphin was observed and tracked over the past weekend, still doing well. 6/10 Toro was seen again this past weekend still doing very well. 6/14 Toro was found this morning near Bull Bay doing very well. Transmitter is now failing and will not likely be useful with locations again. Another successful return to the wild. 9/29 Toro was spotted yesterday, back in Bull Bay, by a research team from Mote. The dolphin had not been seen since the area was devastated by Hurricane Charley, but it seemed to be doing very well.
Dolphin with transmitter after release (Photo courtesy Sarasota Dolphin Biology Program, K. Hull)
Dolphin breaching later the day of release (Photo courtesy Sarasota Dolphin Biology Program, K. Hull)

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