A rescue adventure

Today was the first day of my weekend. I was ready to sleep in and enjoy a relaxing mornng ing after working about ten hours each day (we really have gotten much busier, hence the lack of writing.).
Last night at around 10:30 pm I got a call that was I was needed at the sealife center at 7am the next morning for a seal pick up.  A stranded seal was spotted out in Homer, AK and needed immediate care. We arranged for a volunteer in the area to gather the seal up and meet us halfway in a town called Soldotna. The arranged meeting spot was the parking lot of a Fred Myers (kind of like walmart). The drive me and Halley, my boss, had to make was about two hours long through GORGEOUS sceneary.

We arrived at the parking lot about 45 minutes too soon, anticipating more traffic than we encountered. So we wandered around the store and spent at least 20 minutes deciding what we wanted to eat for lunch. we sat outside in the parking lot trying too look inconspicuous sitting next to a ginormous truck with MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE plastered all over it. We got approached by many and a small crowd had gathered to watch the seal transfer.

The volunteer rolled up and we carefully took the seal out of the carrier. He was small and the left half of his jaw was severely swollen. I could see puncture wounds littering his tiny face and one eye stared up at me sadly as he mustered a small moan. His other eye was crusted shut and discharging heavily. My heart went out to the little guy instantly. We did a quick exam in the parking lot, checking for broken flippers and more lacerations. People loitered nearby and snapped photos while we heated up his fluids and gave him a quick tube feed. His flippers were very warm so we knew his temperature was elevated. Seals flippers are a good way to tell if the animal is too hot or too cold. If they feel hot to the touch their temperature is probably too high and if the flippers are curled up under each other it’s a good indication that the animal is too cold. The journey home was interrupted every hour to check on him and take another temperature, it was hot in the back of the truck and with the combined stress of moving, his temperature was still rising. We put some ice on his back flippers to cool him down. I was more aware of every turn and bump on the way home, worried about how it was affecting him in back.

The vet was ready for us when we got back to the sealife center. I got to restrain the seal while she drew blood, took fecal and nasal samples, flushed all of his puncture wounds and administered the antibiotic injections. Dr. Pam thinks he was picked up by his head by something and chewed on a little bit. For the next 24 hours he will be on a fluid diet and subcutaneous fluids trying to rehydrate him and then we will slowly transition him onto formula. The first few nights are the most critical, I really hope he makes it!  I got really attached to his sad little face.

It has gotten loads busier at the rehab center, we are now caring for 4 seals and two otters. With stranded animal calls coming every other day. The shifts have slowly been increasing from 8 hours and now we work about 10 hour shifts every day. Today was supposed to be my day off and I was at work for most of it. I feel that as it gets busier I will be spending less and less time at my apartment and more with the animals who need 24 hour care.  But this is why I am here, and I had an exciting day rescuing the seal and awesome days taking care of the other animals there. I can't wait to help more animals admited!