Staff and volunteers carrying whale from beach for transport to Mote

This whale stranded on Longboat Key.  It was seen with another whale in the area, possibly a calf.  An electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG) indicated cardiac changes consistent with cardiomyopathy, a common heart problem with this species.  Since no treatment was possible, the animal had to be euthanized.  A full necropsy revealed one of the most severe cases of cardiomyopathy seen at this facility, plus a number of other issues involving the liver and intestines.