For Emergencies:
Earlier this year, two of our directors Darren and Sarah had an exciting opportunity to be involved in the diagnosis and management of a Seal pup called ‘Omelette’ with a sore eye at Tynemouth Seal Hospital.
‘Omelette’ had sustained an eye injury and was in a great deal of pain with a real risk of blindness. This could have seriously hindered the chances of survival in the wild after release.
Omelette with sore left eye in one of the treatment enclosures at the Tynemouth Seal hospital.
Sarah, our ophthalmologist, performed a thorough examination of Omlette’s eye while Darren used our wireless ultrasound equipment to assess the internal structures of the eye, in-particular to check Omlette’s lens for potential damage. This equipment allowed for high quality images to be obtained at a remote location to enable medical investigations outside of the usual hospital environment. It was found that Omelette had anterior uveitis (intraocular inflammation) secondary to a corneal ulcer. A course of topical and systemic medications were started to give the eye the best chances of recovery.
Darren scans Omlette’s eye while being safely held by Natalie, a veterinary nurse who volunteers at the Seal hospital. Sarah getting up close to take a look at Omlette’s eye.
Following multiple weeks of therapy and the dedication of the rehabilitation team at the Seal hospital, Omelette was deemed ready for release. The release was witnessed by spectators both in person and during a live-feed on social media. It was a beautiful sight to see Omelette and another seal pup, Toast, released at the same time from the causeway. Both seal pups took to the water well. After a few backward glances, they soon joined other seals waiting in the bay to start their new life. It was fantastic to see these amazing creatures having another chance in the wild and we wish them the best of luck in their new lives!
Tynemouth Seal Hospital is a charity run by volunteers with support from the Tynemouth Aquarium. The charity relies on charitable donations to fund their work to help these wild animals. If you would like to donate, you can on https://justgiving.com/Tynemouthsealhospital
Omlette and Toast shortly before their release.
Goodbye to dry land
