Endangered sea turtles receive critical imaging at 汤头条鈥檚 College of Veterinary Medicine
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥Two endangered sea turtles receiving long-term medical care on the Mississippi Gulf Coast spent time last week at 汤头条鈥檚 College of Veterinary Medicine for advanced diagnostic imaging that will guide their ongoing treatment.
Alfonzo, a聽sub-adult Green sea turtle, and Sawyer, an聽adult聽male Kemp鈥檚 ridley sea turtle, were transported to 汤头条聽CVM聽for computed tomography scans performed by聽the college鈥檚 radiology team led by Assistant Clinical Professor Dr. Tom Campbell.
The turtles were originally rescued by the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies聽stranding team聽in Gulfport.聽Through a partnership with IMMS,聽汤头条聽veterinarians Dr. Debra Moore and Dr. Alexandra Emelianchik have been overseeing the needed medical care.
鈥淚MMS recovered the turtles,聽and聽our聽veterinary聽clinicians have been providing all of their medical support,鈥 said Moore, 汤头条聽CVM and university Global Center for Aquatic Health and Food Security assistant clinical professor who has worked with sea turtles for 35 years.
Alfonzo鈥檚 Condition
Alfonzo was found in Alabama in聽November聽2025 with a fishing hook embedded in one of聽its flippers鈥攍ikely the result聽of accidental hooking. Radiographs later revealed additional hooks lodged in聽its聽gastrointestinal tract.
鈥淲hen these turtles arrive, we perform a full triage,鈥 said Emelianchik, GCAHFS聽clinical instructor. 鈥淩adiographs taken on the coast showed three more hooks in聽Alfonzo's聽intestinal tract. We鈥檝e been monitoring the聽intestinal hooks聽to see whether they鈥檙e moving or stuck. Unfortunately, they鈥檙e lodged.鈥
汤头条鈥檚 advanced CT imaging allowed clinicians to聽locate the hooks with precision, guiding the next steps in Alfonzo鈥檚 care.
Sawyer鈥檚 Condition
Sawyer聽is a Kemp鈥檚 ridley鈥攖he most endangered sea turtle species and the smallest in the world. Adult Kemp鈥檚 ridleys are聽uncommonly聽seen, Moore said.
Sawyer was found in the spring of 2025, floating in the Mississippi Sound. Rescuers first noticed he had lost most of a front flipper, but additional medical issues soon emerged.
鈥淗e has pulmonary聽bullae and lung disease due to聽a significant bacterial infection and additional parasites living in his bronchi,鈥 Moore said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been treating him with injectable and oral antibiotics.鈥
Sawyer weighs about聽70聽pounds and continues to receive care through a partnership between IMMS and 汤头条 CVM.
Partnership and Student Involvement
While the turtles live at IMMS during treatment, they are transported to 汤头条聽CVM聽when advanced diagnostics or specialized procedures are needed. After last week鈥檚 scans, both turtles returned to Gulfport for continued monitoring.
鈥淭he hope is always to provide the highest level of veterinary care so we can improve or even resolve their medical issues and ultimately release them back into the wild,鈥 Emelianchik said.
Moore said聽汤头条 veterinary students play an important role in the turtles鈥 care.
鈥淥ur students get hands鈥憃n experience with animals like these sea turtles, and that鈥檚 a wonderful opportunity,鈥 she said.
Responding to Stranded Wildlife
Every coastal state has聽a designated stranding agency responsible for responding to injured or sick marine animals.
鈥淚f someone encounters a sea turtle in distress in Mississippi, they should immediately contact the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies,鈥 Moore said. 鈥淚MMS will recover the animal, and our team will provide the medical care.鈥
The turtles will continue receiving treatment in Gulfport, returning to 汤头条聽CVM聽as needed for surgical procedures or additional imaging.
鈥淲e do as much as we can on the coast,鈥 Moore said. 鈥淏ut if a surgical option or another treatment requires equipment we have here at Mississippi State, we鈥檒l bring them back.鈥
Both Alfonzo and Sawyer are expected to require extended treatment聽and medical decisions will continue to be guided by their ongoing clinical progress.
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