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Clinico-pathologic assessment of select stranded marine mammals in the Philippines
Thesis Abstract:
In the Philippines, marine mammal stranding events involved a high percentage of live animals. Between January 2018 to August 2019, opportunistic clinico-pathologic assessment was conducted on live-stranded marine mammals in collaboration with the Philippine Marine Stranding Network (PMMSN). Biological samples were opportunistically obtained from 20 animals comprising of 13 marine mammal species. Sample collection and health assessment were done in-field where logistically permissible or accessed as formalin tissues via Philippine Marine Mammal Stranding Database and Biorepository. The type of laboratory analysis varied depending on animal dispositions, stranding locations and facilities, which included blood (n=6) and histopathology analysis (n=19). The hematology and serum biochemistry findings were consistent with mildly regenerative microcytic and hypochromic or normochromic anemia, severe dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, inanition, inflammation and capture myopathy. Pathological findings such as loss of blubber and muscle mass, collagenous blubber, hepatic lipidosis, lack of gastrointestinal content or marine debris ingestion were also consistent with chronic starvation. Considering both clinical and pathological findings, 75% of the stranded marine mammals were likely malnourished and chronically debilitated. Some infectious diseases such as bacterial pneumonia, septicemia and crassicaudiasis likely contributed to the animal’s stranding and death. Parasitic infestations involving Monorygma sp., Phyllobothrium sp., Ascaris sp., and an unidentified biliary trematode were among the common parasitic diseases documented grossly and histologically. While many animals had poor body conditions and pre-existing illnesses, capture myopathy likely hastened the death of some animals, especially those in rehabilitation. A total of six animals underwent rehabilitation ranging from 5 to 91 days, which involved three rough-toothed dolphins, a Risso’s dolphin, a melon-headed whale, and a dugong calf. The rehabilitation practices took place at different facilities in four coastal regions, which included supportive care, feeding management, water quality maintenance, diagnostic work-up, medical intervention and eventual transfer to sea pen.