VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — One of the many things the Virginia Aquarium does is help sick animals. The specialized veterinarians at the aquarium want to teach other vets to do what they do, so they’ve started a new internship program.
Veterinarian Dr. Ally McNaughton, who's Chief of Veterinary Science and Research, reviewed X-rays of a sea turtle they named 'Navy." He was brought to the aquarium’s rehab center after being found on the beach at JEB Little Creek. “The other lung field is severely impacted by pneumonia,” she said.
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Cold-stunned turtles are common this time of year when water temperatures fall and the animals don’t migrate south. The turtles literally become stunned and can’t move. “Their systems essentially shut down,” a veterinarian said. If untreated, they can die. Sea turtles are just one of many of the sea critters that the intern see.
Aquarium veterinarians say it’s difficult to find vets with specialized aquatic training. “There are only a couple of facilities in North America that offer an aquatic-focused internship,” McNaughton said.
Now there’s one more. The Virginia Aquarium is offering a one-year paid internship for veterinarians with at least one year of experience. Staff say it takes a special candidate — someone who can work odd hours and pivot quickly between cases.
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“The main thing is working with such a variety of species,” said associate veterinarian Dr. Alissa Mones. “In the same day we could be performing a procedure on a jellyfish, treating a Komodo dragon and caring for a sea turtle brought in through the stranding center.”
Although 'Navy' has pneumonia and cuts on his flippers, veterinarians say he is expected to be OK after more rehabilitation in the aquarium’s warm pools.
By delighting visitors and caring for local marine life, the Virginia Aquarium and its veterinarians are 'Positively Hampton Roads.'
