Sick Spotted Seal (Phoca largha)

Observation: Upon returning from Warehouse Slough, a local hunter reported that he had caught a spotted seal that he thought was sick. He then proceeded to gut the marine animal and found there was white puss or goo like substance along the muscle tissue everywhere. Subsistence gathering for which includes seal is a normal activity. We have told those who travel and hunt, to observe and be aware of possible illnesses or anything unusual they may see in anything they may catch. Nick Carter

LEO update: The possibility of collecting samples from the seal carcass was explored. "This animal has been out there for a long while, guys here will be out hunting almost every day once it gets warmer. Should they catch something of the same, then a sample can be sent. I spoke with Seth again, and he says that only a very small bit of the fat was chewed on and nothing else. We have crows, they are known to eat just about anything, even silicone off the roof... this animal is not being touched." Nick Carter | April 16, 2013

Alaska Veterinary Pathology Services Consult: Kathy Burek Huntington, DVM who has been active in the ice seal unusual morality event (UME) investigation writes, "Fluid along the muscles could be edema if it is clear yellow or pink. This could be due to trauma, cardiovascular or kidney disease, malnutrition, or other. Cloudy or thick material would be pus, or so likely a bacterial or other infectious agent related process. The white streaking to the muscle could be due to degenerative muscle disease due to nutritional disease, or capture stress or could be a heavy load of intramyofiber parasites (Sarcocystis spp most commonly). These parasites are extremely common in seals but you usually cannot see them by eye unless very heavy. If I had gotten samples from this animal, or the whole carcass, I would do a necropsy, collect appropriate samples and send off muscle for protozoal ID on the muscle at a minimum. Appropriate samples are non-frozen (if possible) or fresh frozen as second best." Source: Alaska Veterinary Pathology Services (A.V.P.S.) | April 17, 2013

Resources:

For filing a formal stranding report and follow up on marine mammal strandings, contact: Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Hotline at 1-877-9-AKR-PRD (1-877-925-7773)

Vlasman, K. L., Campbell, D. G. (2004). Field Guide-Diseases and Parasites of Marine Mammals of the Eastern Arctic. Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre.