Abstract

Dolphins naturally ingest foreign bodies at times, but are normally able to regurgitate small objects. Difficulties arise when swallowed objects are too large to regurgitate and hence can cause debilitating health problems. In captivity, such objects need to be removed. This case study describes a dolphin that had ingested numerous large foreign bodies over a period of two years. Manual removal of the objects was impossible due to the length of the animal, weighing 370 kg, as they were lodged at 1.3 meters from the rostrum.

All the apparatus is described, including medical and industrial endoscopes, modifications to instruments, as well as subsequent improvements in the techniques. The drugs used in sedation are discussed, as well as their dosages and the dose adjustments made to facilitate the passing of the apparatus down the oesophagus into the first stomach. The effect of an antispasmodic, injected to slow peristaltic movements and aid visualisation, is demonstrated. The aid of video screens in the visualisation and magnification of the objects to be removed are shown.