Accumulation and tissue distribution of heavy metals and essential elements in loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) from Spanish Mediterranean coastline of Murcia.

Sea turtles are of increasing interest as potential bioindicators of the heavy metal pollution in marine ecosystems. In the present work, concentrations of heavy metals and essential elements (As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Se, Zn) in different organs and tissues (liver, kidney, muscle, bone, blood, central nervous system and skin) of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) were determined from stranded animals found along the Spanish Mediterranean coastlines of Murcia. Relatively high average levels of As (skin: 52.

Nasopharyngeal stenosis secondary to soft palate dysgenesis in a cat.

This report is the first description of soft palate dysgenesis inducing nasopharyngeal stenosis in a cat. The symptomatology included continuous stertorous respiration and changes in phonation. Open-mouth breathing, seromucous nasal discharge and sneezing were intermittently present.