Deadly acute Decompression Sickness in Risso’s dolphins

A. Fernández; E. Sierra; J. Díaz-Delgado; S. Sacchini; Y. Sánchez-Paz; C. Suárez-Santana; M. Arregui; M. Arbelo; Y. Bernaldo de Quirós

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-14038-z

Scientific Reports (Oct 2017)

Deadly acute Decompression Sickness in Risso’s dolphins

A. Fernández,
E. Sierra,
J. Díaz-Delgado,
S. Sacchini,
Y. Sánchez-Paz,
C. Suárez-Santana,
M. Arregui,
M. Arbelo,
Y. Bernaldo de Quirós

Affiliations

A. Fernández: Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, C/Transmontaña s/n
E. Sierra: Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, C/Transmontaña s/n
J. Díaz-Delgado: Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, C/Transmontaña s/n
S. Sacchini: Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, C/Transmontaña s/n
Y. Sánchez-Paz: Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, C/Transmontaña s/n
C. Suárez-Santana: Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, C/Transmontaña s/n
M. Arregui: Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, C/Transmontaña s/n
M. Arbelo: Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, C/Transmontaña s/n
Y. Bernaldo de Quirós: Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Health, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Veterinary School, C/Transmontaña s/n

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-14038-z
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Abstract Diving air-breathing vertebrates have long been considered protected against decompression sickness (DCS) through anatomical, physiological, and behavioural adaptations. However, an acute systemic gas and fat embolic syndrome similar to DCS in human divers was described in beaked whales that stranded in temporal and spatial association with military exercises involving high-powered sonar. More recently, DCS has been diagnosed in bycaught sea turtles. Both cases were linked to human activities. Two Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus) out of 493 necropsied cetaceans stranded in the Canary Islands in a 16-year period (2000–2015), had a severe acute decompression sickness supported by pathological findings and gas analysis. Deadly systemic, inflammatory, infectious, or neoplastic diseases, ship collision, military sonar, fisheries interaction or other type of lethal inducing associated trauma were ruled out. Struggling with a squid during hunting is discussed as the most likely cause of DCS.

Published in Scientific Reports

ISSN: 2045-2322 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine; Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/srep/

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