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Medicine
The Foundation has an enthusiastic group of highly skilled marine mammal veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Through collaborations with other veterinarians and physicians from academic, government, and private institutions, the Foundation continually advances the clinical care of marine mammals. Special focus areas include neonatal and calf health, geriatric medicine, digital imaging, and metabolic disease.
Watch National Public Radio's video coverage as Dr. Cynthia Smith gives an overview of Navy marine mammal health care.
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Neonatal and Calf Health
Marine mammal neonates and calves have special health needs, and survival rates of these animals in the wild can be low due to predation, illness, and inadequate maternal support of calves. For the Foundation's medical team, neonatal care begins with maternal health and monitoring, grows with an unparalleled database of information on dolphin births and nursing, and continues with a lifelong health program of routine physical exams and preventive medicine.
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Geriatric Medicine
Health care for marine mammals continues to improve, and there is a growing population of old animals in managed collections. The Foundation is leading an effort to better understand the physiology of aging in marine mammals. We are also developing a geriatric medicine program for the Navy that will focus on common needs of older animals, including special nutritional, exercise, and medical needs. Here, a geriatric sea lion is being prepared for a special scan to assess his health.
Digital Imaging
Marine mammals are very good at masking or hiding disease, because this benefits them in the wild. Just like humans, catching disease early greatly improves the ability to treat it. The Foundation leads the use of digital imaging, including digital radiographs and computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans, to assess marine mammal health and to improve early disease detection. Picture above is a dolphin being assessed by a CT scan for kidney stones.
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Metabolic Health
Marine mammals can get metabolic diseases, including iron overload, kidney stones, and diabetes. The Foundation is leading metabolic health and research programs for marine mammals. These programs have led to peer reviewed publications characterizing liver and kidney disease, potential causes of kidney stones, and use of phlebotomy to treat iron overload in dolphins. Pictured above is a calm Navy dolphin getting voluntary treatment for iron overload.
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