Herc and Holly were two of four dolphins from a mass stranding of 12 individuals that were transported to the DWH from the Florida panhandle. Two of the dolphins died enroute. Herc was initially the healthier of the two and was eating by day 4. He had an elevated WBC and liver values. Treated with antibiotics and antifungal medications. By mid February his condition had begun to deteriorate including going into renal failure, although this was corrected. Although there were brief periods of improvement, Herc's downward trend continued until his death on 6 March. Necropsy revealed severe intestinal disease and heart disease with a possible viral etiology.

Cause of Death: Thickening of majority of intestinal tract, cardiac fibrosis. Possible viral etiology being investigated (perhaps related to equine viral arteritis).

Lessons:
1- This case shows similarities with the mass stranding (MML9711 A-D) a year ago in approximately the same location. Serology supports a viral etiology, related to equine viral arteritis, in both stranding events.
2- Tissue samples need to be taken for virus isolation, electron microscopy whenever new diseases are suspected (some preserved frozen at - 70 C and some fixed in gluteraldehyde).
3- Banking extra serum samples was critical for retrospective studies. Save extra serum from early and late in the rehabilitation process.

PublicationManire, C. A., H. L. Rhinehart. In press. "Use of human recombinant erythropoietin for the treatment of nonregenerative anemia in the rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis." Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine. 2000

Presentations
Manire, C. A., and H. L. Rhinehart. "The use of human recombinant erythropoietin for the treatment of nonregenerative anemia in the rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis." Oral presentation at the International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine 30th annual conference, Boston, MA. 1999.

Rhinehart, H. L., C. A. Manire, J. D. Buck, P. Cunningham-Smith, and D. R. Smith. "Observations and rehabilitation of rough-toothed dolphins, Steno bredanensis, treated at Mote Marine Laboratory from two separate stranding events." Poster presentation at the 13th biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Maui, HI. 1999.