Injured turtles are brought to the center by members of the public, biologists, other veterinarians and rehabilitators, and via a network of “turtle taxi” volunteers.
The injured turtle is given a number and a medical record, and treatment is started right away. Often, the initial treatment needs to be done in stages, as the turtle needs pain medication before any invasive work is done. Some people think that just because turtles don’t vocalize, they don’t feel pain. This is not true! Scientists have found that turtles have the same pain tolerance as humans. All injured turtles that come to the OTCC receive pain management. Fluid therapy is also essential, as the turtles are often in shock.
Many of the turtles brought into the trauma center have internal injuries that are not easy to identify by sight. In these cases, turtles have blood taken for analysis, and undergo X-rays. Not only do the X-rays show fractures, they also reveal if a turtle has eggs, and, if so, how many. This is important information, as the trauma team can then make sure that the eggs are laid while the turtle is in the hospital (see chapter 4 for more information).
Surgery takes place once the turtle is strong enough to endure an anesthetic. This might include having a fractured jaw wired, removing a fishing hook or wiring pieces of carapace back together.
All turtles have blood work done on admission and prior to release. This helps the team follow their progress and ensure they are on the right track for recovery.
Turtles are treated daily by a staff of veterinarians and veterinary technicians. This treatment can include fluid therapy, pain medication, antibiotic treatment and wound dressings. Treatments take an entire day to get through in the busy season.
Once fully healed, the turtle is released back to the body of water nearest to where it was found.