Taylor
Taylor
Arrival Date: August 2, 2024
Patient Profile
Name: Taylor
Species: Green Sea Turtle
Weight: 12 pounds
Reason for visit: Fibropapillomatosis (FP)
Location Found: Fort Zachary Taylor Beach, Key West, FL
Status Report
08/02/24: While enjoying the beautiful waters at Fort Zachary Taylor Beach, a snorkeler made an unexpected discovery. A small green sea turtle was lethargic and floating with little to no response when approached. This good samaritain alerted park staff who were quick to call The Turtle Hospital Rescue Team for help. With the new name of Taylor, she was rushed to the hospital for care, as our team evaluated Taylor in the van on the way to Marathon. They noticed she was sick with Fibropapillomatosis (FP) tumors, leaving them to consider this may be why she was not feeling very well. Rehab team got to work with initial intake diagnostics and care, and set up a hospital tank for Taylor to rest in. Taylor has been very weak since her arrival and will have the water depth of her tank stay shallow to keep her skin hydrated but not create difficulty in coming up for air to breathe. Taylor will receive additional supportive care in the coming days as the rehab team continues to monitor her.
08/20/24: It has been just over 2 weeks since Taylor arrived, at first she was very slow to respond during check-ins with her rehab team. While still enjoying lots of long naps, Taylor is showing some small signs of improvement, such as eating her veggies and becoming a bit stronger in her swimming. She also received a CT Scan to further assist in her Fibropapillomatotsis (FP) disease status. At this time Taylor has been enjoying enrichment toys filled with seaweed, and likes to say hello through the underwater window in her tank. This week Taylor received an exam from Dr. Norton, who will soon create a new care plan for Taylor to start working towards her tumor removal surgeries. In the meantime, Taylor will focus on resting and eating all her meals to build up strength for the future procedures to come.
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