Aquatic Mammals 1997, 23.1, 69–72

A pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata) stranded at Sagami Bay,

Fumio Terasawa1, Tetsushi Yamagami2, Masakazu Kitamura1 and Asami Fujimoto1

1Enoshima Aquarium 17-25, 2-chome Katase-kaigan, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251, Japan 2Nippon Veterinary and Animal Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonan-cho, Musashino, 180, Japan

Abstract via an intravenous route. Cimetidine (400 mg, every 6 hours), for protection of the gastric mucosa was Feresa attenuata A female pygmy killer whale ( )was administered intravenously. In addition sulpyrine rescued on the east side of Sagami Bay, Japan, and (1.5g every 12 hours) was administered intramuscu- was treated for two weeks in Aquarium. larly as an antipyretic and analgesic drug. Since the Blood was collected and a blowhole swab was taken whale did not feed voluntarily, force feeding was and examined. During the necropsy, osteoarthritis administered via a stomach tube three days after of the scapula and humerus in the left was observed. ff arrival, utilizing whole squid and minced mackerel, Five di erent species of parasites were found. totaling up to 2 to 4 kg per day.

Introduction Results and discussion The pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata), though a According to the first blood data on 23 June 1994, rare species, can be found worldwide in various the whale was diagnosed as having a general bac- deep tropical and warm temperate waters (Caldwell terial infection, severe anemia and liver disease. & Caldwell, 1971; Ross & Leatherwood, 1994). Since the whale was extremely debilitated, it was There have been twelve records of pygmy killer treated in the tank, maintained within the water in a whales in Japan (Yamada, 1954; Nishiwaki et al., stretcher while supported by sponges. The skin was 1965; Nishiwaki, 1967; Uchida, 1994; Yoshida, kept moist by showering the whale with saltwater. 1994). This is the first published report of clinical A 24 hour watch on the animal was maintained. treatment of a stranded pygmy killer whale in On 5 July 1994, the blood data was shown Japan. marked leukocytosis, reticulocytosis, and marked elevations in GOT, -GTP, LDH and total bilirubin Methods (Table 1). These results suggest a number of possible causes including the antibiotics were not On 23 June 1994, a female pygmy killer whale effective, possible hepatic necrosis caused by the was found unable to swim at Ashina marina in drug-induced liver injury, and/or acute stress from Kanagawa, Sagami Bay (3513N; 13936E). The being kept in the stretcher. animal had drifted to a corner of the marina and The whale died on 7 July 1994, fourteen days was caught by the aquarium staff. After the initial after the rescue. Shortly after death, a necropsy was physical examination, it was judged that a rescue performed at the Enoshima Aquarium. The internal attempt would be necessary, because the whale organs were preserved with 10% formalin and was extremely debilitated and was floating rather brought to the Nippon Veterinary and Animal than swimming. The animal was transported Science University, Tokyo, where they were exam- to Enoshima Aquarium. After the arrival, blood ined at the Department of Veterinary Pathology. was collected for clinical pathology (Table 1). A Internal and external parasites were collected and blowhole swab was taken for fungal and bacterial those species were identified by Dr M. Machida at cultures (Table 2). the National Science Museum (Table 3). Mixed solutions of lactated Ringers solution The body length was 213 cm and the weight and 10% glucose, with multiple vitamins, were was 127 kg. There were 9 teeth on each side of the administered via the tail flukes (5 to 6 liters per upper jaw, and 11 on each side of the lower. day). Gentamicin (300 mg, every 12 hours) and According to the standard number of teeth (Ross & Cefazolin (5 g, every 12 hours) were administered Leatherwood, 1994), this whale was identified as a  1997 EAAM 70 F. Terasawa et al.

Table 1. The first blood data taken after the rescue on Table 2. Bacteria sampled and identified in the pygmy 23 June 1994, and the last data taken two days before the killer whale death of the pygmy killer whale on 5 July 1994 Date Location Organism Date Parameter June 23 July 5 23 June Blowhole Vibrio fluvialis 1 July Blowhole Pseudomonas aeruginosa Candida sp.  2 3 WBC ( 10 /mm ) 147 289 7 July* Blowhole Pseudomonas putrefaciens Bas (%) 0.0 0.0 Streptococcus faecalis Eos (%) 0.0 0.0 Fecal Pseudomonas putrefaciens Sta (%) 3.0 6.0 Pseudomonas aeruginosa Seg (%) 81.0 83.0 Escherichia coli Lym 9%) 12.0 6.0 Mon (%) 4.0 5.0 *These bacteria were sampled at the necropsy. RBC (104/mm3) 210 190 Hb (g/dl) 6.3 6.6 Ht (%) 22.3 22.1 By this method, and on the basis of tooth wear, this MCV (3) 106.2 116.3 animal was judged to be 20 years old. MCH (g) 30.0 34.7 Erosions and numerous ulcers, 0.5 to 2 cm in MCHC (%) 28.3 29.9 diameter, were observed in the mucosa of the fundic  4 3 Pl ( 10 /mm ) 23.7 24.6 stomach. The histopathology revealed degeneration Ret (‰) 73 143 and desquamation in the mucosa. Numerous black, Fib (mg/dl) 338 188 hard ovoid nodes, approximately 0.5 to 1 cm in TP (g/dl) 8.5 6.3 diameter, were located in the fundic and pyloric PFr stomachs. The histopathological examination A/G 1.01 0.89 revealed these nodes to be cysts on the tunica Alb (%) 50.3 47.0 submucosa and the tunica muscularis, which both

1G (%) 9.5 5.7 contained numerous trematodes, presumed to be 2G (%) 5.0 3.8 Braunia cordiformis. The examination also revealed G (%) 4.5 4.8 desquamation of mucosa at the infestation area. An G (%) 30.7 38.7 inflammatory infiltrate, comprised of lymphocytes, was in the lamina propria. Degeneration and GOT (IU/l) 358 1283 desquamation of the mucosa of the intestine were GPT (IU/l) 178 82 observed. The lungs were congested. The histo- LDH (IU/l) 2762 5430 CPK (IU/l) 218 703 pathology revealed calcified bronchial epithelium -GTP (IU/l) 104 250 and alveoli. An inflammatory infiltrate, comprised ALP (IU/l) 58 131 mainly of macrophages, was found in the alveoli. T-Bil (mg/dl) 0.06 0.37 Osteoarthritis was observed at the left scapulo- BUN (mg/dl) 65.2 74.2 humeral joint (Figs 1–2). The necks of the humerus CRE (mg/dl) 1.7 0.9 and the scapula exhibited coagulation necrosis, and Na (mEq/l) 148 154 the head of the humerus was separated. The body Cl (mEq/l) 104 122 of the humerus was thickened. The scapula was K (mEq/l) 4.1 — deformed and appeared porous at its margin. In Ca (mg/dl) 11.0 — both of the bones, the surface had lost its normal Fe (g/dl) 26 177 smooth appearance and developed splits into its T-Cho (mg/dl) 177 133 substance which led to a roughened appearance. TG (mg/dl) 38 4 They were yellowish gray in color. Healing was FFA (mEq/l) 0.60 0.31 AMY (IU/l) 9 6 apparent between the ulna, radius, and humerus. TTT (KU) — 1.0 The circumference of the right scapula was swollen ZTT (KU) — 8.0 externally. The muscles were congested and edema PGST (ng/ml) <0.2 — was present in the subcutaneous tissue. In this whale, Nasitrema sp. was observed from the pterygoid sinus. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from the blowhole. At necropsy, the pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata). The teeth lungs were congested, histopathology revealed a were examined microscopically, and the layers macrophage infiltrate and fibrinogen deposition in within the cementum were counted, numbering 20. the alveoli. Sweeney (1978) pointed out that the Rescue of a female pygmy killer whale 71

Table 3. Parasites found in the pygmy killer whale

Parasite Infection site Number of parasites

Nasitrema sp. Pterygoid sinus Over 200 individuals Campula sp. Bile ducts Over 150 individuals Trematoda* Fundic and pyloric stomachs Numerous cysts Pennella sp. Skin — Conchoderma virgatum Attached to Pennella sp. —

*Since Trematodes were observed from histological section, they could not be identified. It was presumed to be Braunia cordiformis (J. C. Sweeney & W. D. Harding, pers. comm.).

Figure 1. Exterior view of the left scapula, humerus, radius and ulna of the pygmy killer whale. Bar: long side=10 cm, short side=1 cm. trematoda Nasitrema sp. can cause infections of flippers contribute a small share to the steering the pterygoid sinus, leading ultimately to sinusitis, effect and particularly help to balance the animal on respiratory obstruction and bacterial pneumonia. its course (Slijper, 1962). It is speculated that the Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been associated with infectious agents may have reached the affected fatal bronchopneumonia and dermatitis in Atlantic bony structures via the blood stream, the lymphatic bottlenosed dolphin (Diamond et al., 1979). vessels, or by direct implantation of microorgan- isms (Bennett, 1966). Three or four days before the rescue, three whales were sighted by a local Conclusion fisherman in this marina. It seems probable that this There have been numerous reports of osteoarthritis particular whale separated from the others and in humans (Bennett, 1966; Lanyon, 1982). Osteo- drifted onto shore. arthritis has rarely been observed at the scapulo- humerus joint in whales. It is probable that the Acknowledgements osteoarthritis had been present chronically, perhaps contributing to the anemic state at the time of The authors wish to express their gratitude to Dr H. clinical presentation, as well as leading to difficulty Ishikawa of the Institute of Cetacean Research, to in maintaining normal swimming status. The Dr M. Machida of the National Science Museum, 72 F. Terasawa et al.

Figure 2. Interior view of the left scapula, humerus, radius and ulna of the pygmy killer whale. Bar: long side=10 cm, short side=1 cm. to Drs S. Hayama, S. Kamiya, M. Fujita and Lanyon, L. E. (1982) Osteoarthrosis. In Bone in Clinical H. Orima of the Nippon Veterinary and Animal Orthopaedics, a Study in Comparative Osteology (ed. Science University, to Mr S. Downes of the G. Sumner-Smith) pp. 301–302. W. B. Saunders Comp. Tsukuba University, to Mr S. Uchida of the Nishiwaki, M., Kasuya, T., Kamiya, T., Tobayama, T. & Okinawa Expo Aquarium, and to Mr O. Nakajima, M. (1965) Feresa attenuata captured at the Sci. Rep. Whales Res. Yamashita, Mr H. Toda and the staff of the Pacific coast of Japan in 1963. Inst. 19, 65–90. Enoshima Aquarium. And the authors also thank Nishiwaki, M. (1967) Distribution and migration of Dr J. C. Sweeney and Ms W. D. Harding for marine mammals in the North Pacific area. Bull. of comments on this manuscript. Ocean Res. Inst. Univ. of Tokyo No. 1, 44. Ross, G. J. B. & Leatherwood, S. (1994) Pygmy killer References whale Feresa attenuata Gray, 1874. In Handbook of Marine Mammals (eds S. H. Ridgway and S. R. Bennett, G. A. (1966) Arthritis caused by known infec- Harrison), Vol. 5, pp. 387–404. Academic Press Ltd. tious agents. In Pathology (ed.W.A.D.Anderson), Slijper, E. J. (1962) Locomotion and locomotory organs. Vol. 2, Chapter 42, p. 1346. C. V. Mosby Comp., In Whale, Chapter 3, p. 102. Hutchinson, London. St Louis. Sweeney, J. C. (1978) Clinical consideration of parasitic Caldwell, D. K. & Caldwell, M. C. (1971) The pygmy and noninfectious diseases. In Zoo and Wild Animal killer whale, Feresa attenuata, in the western Atlantic, Medicine (ed. M. E. Fowler) pp. 596–599. with a summary of world records. J. Mamm. 52, Uchida, S. (1994) Cetaceans in the Ryukyu waters. In 206–209. Pilot Whale and Nago People pp. 75–118. Nago Dailey, M. D. & Brownell, R. L. Jr. (1972) A checklist of Museum (in Japanese). marine mammal parasites. In Mammals of the Sea, Yamada, M. (1954) An account of rare porpoise Feresa Biology and Medicine (ed. S. H. Ridgway) pp. 528–589. Gray from Japan. Sci. Rep. Whales Res. Inst. 9, 59–88. Charles C. Thomas Publisher, Springfields, IL. Diamond, S. S., Ewing, D. S. & Caldwell, G. A. (1979) Yoshida, Y. (1994) List of marine mammals in the sea of Jour. Jpn. Assoc. Zool. Aqua. Fatal bronchopneumonia and dermatitis caused by Kashima. 36(1), 24–31 (in Pseudomonas aeruginosa in an Atlantic bottle-nosed Japanese). dolphin. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 175, 984–987.