Turtles Get New Digital X-ray System
CONSERVATION
By Dr. Terry Norton, Director and Veterinarian
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center receives hundreds of injured and ill wildlife patients each year. Patients treated at the GSTC include sea turtles, diamondback terrapins, native freshwater and land turtles, alligators, snakes, and birds. Since opening its doors in 2007, the GSTC has successfully treated and released over 2,500 animals.
A wide range of problems are encountered in the wildlife received including hit by boat, hit by car, fishing line and hook injuries, starvation, buoyancy issues, and many more. Diagnostic testing is performed to figure out what the problem might be in a particular patient and may include blood work, radiographs or X-rays, endoscopy and even CT scans. X-rays are something we typically do on each patient upon entry and often several times during the rehabilitation process. A digital X-ray unit was purchased in 2007 when the GSTC opened its doors. Digital X-ray technology has improved dramatically during this time and the older machine was no longer state of the art and needed to be replaced. Thankfully through the generous donations from the Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. LLC, Tybee Island Marine Science Center, and others we were able to purchase a new digital X-ray unit from Vet Rocket. The X-rays taken with this unit have superior resolution and a much more efficient storage capability. Additionally, it is much easier and quicker to take X-rays. In a very short period of time we have taken hundreds of X-rays with the new unit.
We would like to thank our donors and the Jekyll Island Foundation for the purchase of this amazing technology.
