Sea Turtle Named Bassoon Gets Acupuncture For Jaw Trouble
By Kristin Myers on April 16, 2022 at 9:00 AM EDT
One little sea turtle had a spa day at the National Aquarium in Baltimore!
This young sea turtle, named Bassoon, had an injured jaw and was unable to feed himself. Fortunately, experts at the aquarium’s Animal Health and Rescue team were able to come up with an innovative way to help the young turtle open his jaw and start eating again.
Scroll down to watch the video!
Sea Turtle Receives Acupuncture After Being Diagnosed With Myositis Of The Jaw
The young turtle, which has been named Bassoon, arrived in Baltimore in November after he was stranded in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, along with 29 other turtles. According to the local WUSA9 affiliate, Bassoon was “cold-stunned,” which means that he was experiencing a much colder temperature than he was used to.
Now, turtles who are cold-stunned don’t always eat during the first few weeks of rehabilitation, but after a month, the aquarium’s Animal Health and Rescue team started administering nutrition through an IV to help Bassoon survive. The team decided to give Bassoon a CT scan and were able to diagnose him with myositis of the jaw based on a thorough exam. As a result, they started giving him localized anti-inflammatory injections along with physical therapy… and acupuncture treatments.
Although acupuncture isn’t commonly performed on marine life, Dr. Aimee Berliner, director of Animal Health and Welfare at the National Aquarium, felt it was necessary in this case
“While acupuncture isn’t commonly performed, we have used this treatment successfully in the past with other reptiles like snakes and lizards,” Dr. Berliner told the local station. “We’re so pleased to see Bassoon’s progress and look forward to the day when we can return him to his ocean home.”
Did The Sea Turtle’s Acupuncture Treatment Work?
Like anyone receiving acupuncture, Bassoon didn’t receive just one acupuncture session to start seeing long-term benefits. However, after several weeks of treatment, the young sea turtle has finally managed to open its jaw and is finally eating food on its own. In addition, the Aquarium’s Animal Health experts reported that Bassoon is much more active and alert than he was before he arrived.
However, it seems that not all is well for Bassoon just yet. Experts at the aquarium told the station that although Bassoon has made major improvements and can now eat on his own, he is still not ready to be released. Unfortunately, Bassoon also contracted pneumonia and is still receiving treatment.
However, the aquarium’s Animal Health and Rescue team is optimistic about Bassoon’s health and believes that he will make a full recovery. The team wants the public to know that “While there is still a long road ahead, the National Aquarium team is optimistic that he will ultimately make a full recovery.”
According to the World Wildlife organization, determining how long any species of sea turtle can live for is difficult. However, it has been reported that sea turtles have a similar life span to humans and can live for 50 years or more. Most turtles take decades to reach maturity – between twenty and thirty years – so, hopefully, Bassoon is able to recover and have a long and happy life ahead of him.
The Blast was able to obtain footage of the sea turtle receiving its acupuncture treatment by the aquarium’s Animal Health and Rescue team. The video can be viewed below.
