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. Holly was initially the sicker of the two but began to eat after several days of treatment. She was treated with several antibiotics and antifungals and seemed to be responding fairly well. Then, in late February she began to display abdominal discomfort and was treated for intestinal infections. She did not respond to treatment and the pain became much more severe. Finally, it was decided that euthanasia was the most humane thing for her and she was euthanized on 16 March. Necropsy revealed segmental intestinal disease, bronchopneumonia, and heart disease with a possible viral etiology.

Cause of Death: Gastrointestinal disease, cardiac fibrosis, bronchopneumonia. Possible viral etiology being investigated (perhaps related to equine viral arteritis).

Lessons1- 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.

Publication   Manire, 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.