The following story was shared with us by Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles.
On March 11th, 2019, Marine Animal Rescue got a call about a small, stranded California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) in San Pedro, California. The animal was brought to Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles where it was admitted to the hospital.
The patient was a 9-month-old, male sea lion pup, only weighing 10 kilograms (about 22 pounds) and measured 84 centimeters (about 2.7 feet). He was a small pup that was severely malnourished and dehydrated. The veterinary staff also found during the physical exam that he had a couple of abscesses on his flipper and a severe lice infestation all over his body.
During his admission to the hospital he was given an oral solution of EmerAid IC Piscivore, electrolytes, vitamins, and water to combat dehydration and nutritional deficiency. EmerAid IC Piscivore is the hospital’s standard for initial nutritional supplementation, because it provides steady and easy-to-digest nutrients that are important for animals that went through a period of starvation.
The patient was given a course of antibiotics for his abscesses and given ivermectin several times to treat his lice infestation. He started eating fish on his own and improving.
Several months later, it was noticed that he was missing fur in round circular patterns. This was found out to be a fungal infection of the skin. He was treated with oral and topical antifungals for about 3 months. His fur was growing back well and had a good appetite. He was released on September 6, 2019, weighing 55 kilograms (about 121 pounds).