Tini came to us on Oct 14 from St. Lucie Inlet State Park, in Martin County, Florida.  Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission staff had to drive Tini to us.  The long drive couldn’t have been easy for this poor little green sea turtle who was attacked and mauled by a predator. With a recently bitten off front right flipper, multiple slashes in the plastron and a chewed up carapace, Tini is a testament to the toughness of sea turtles. In addition to her wounds, she also has fibropapilloma tumors growing on both eyes and a few around her body.

Dr. Jackie Bruce made an emergency visit to the hospital that evening to determine treatment and if Tini could be placed in water the next day. If the plastron wounds open to the body cavity, water may leak inside. Dr. Jackie determined that the wounds penetrated into muscle tissue but did not go through to the body cavity.   After wound care with Betadine scrub and saline flush, Tini was given antibiotics and a good night’s rest. She was placed in a hospital tank this morning and has already had a few bites to eat. We will schedule surgery for her as soon as possible next week. Check back soon for an update on our tough patient.