PROFOUND HYPOGLYCEMIA AND BLOOD GLUCOSE TESTING METHODOLOGIES IN FLORIDA MANATEES () PRESENTED TO A CRITICAL CARE CENTER.

Florida manatees () continue to experience pressure from various stressors that frequently result in the need for rescue and veterinary assistance. Interestingly, a subset of rescued manatees in critical condition exhibits profound hypoglycemia. The goals of this study were to enhance our understanding of this important aspect of manatee care by 1) characterizing the clinical presentation and factors associated with manatees that present with profound hypoglycemia, and 2) assessing agreement across blood glucose testing modalities [glucometer (whole blood), in-house bench-top analyzer (whole blood), a point of care analyzer (whole blood), and a local human hospital laboratory analyzer (serum)].

Venipuncture site and population affect blood analytes in head-started and free-ranging eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina).

Objective: To compare head-started and free-ranging eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina) blood analytes to evaluate head-starting practices and venipuncture site suitability.

Methods: Eastern box turtles were head-started by Jekyll Island State Park Authority's Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Free-ranging resident box turtles on Jekyll Island State Park were captured.

In vitro impacts of glyphosate on manatee lymphocytes.

Exposure to contaminants, such as the herbicide glyphosate, can suppress protective immune functions. Glyphosate is the herbicide most used worldwide and has been found in the plasma of more than 50 % of the Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) and all-year-round in their aquatic environment. Our objectives were to analyze the consequences of glyphosate exposure on their immune responses via T-lymphocyte proliferation assays and transcriptomics.

Decoding sex-specific metabolomic biomarkers in the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta).

There is need for advancing minimally invasive diagnostic techniques for sex differentiation at early life-stage classes in sea turtles. The objectives of this study were to determine whether there are sex-specific effects on the metabolome of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) and to identify potential biomarkers for sex classification at early life-stage classes (50 post-hatchling and 50 juvenile). Comprehensive analyses including plasma chemistry (n = 100) and untargeted (n = 48) metabolomic analyses were performed.