About Pinnipeds: Marine Mammal Medicine & Pathology

Note: The following pages contain graphic depictions of pathological conditions and as such may not be suitable for some viewers.

Pacific Marine Mammal Center (PMMC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation, as well as research into the diagnosis and description of pathological conditions that affect marine mammals in Southern California waters.

“Occasional Papers in Marine Animal Medicine and Pathology”
(coming soon)
This is a serial collection of peer-reviewed publications with high-resolution, color digital photographs. If you would like to prepare a publication (case reports, disease reviews, treatment protocol, description of pathologies, etc.) for inclusion in this section, please contact us.

Case Reports
This section contain case reports on unusual or interesting pathological conditions we have encountered. PMMC interns are required to post at least one such report. If you are interested in applying for an internship, please contact Richard Evans, DVM

	Staphylococcal pyelonephritis and cystitis in a California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) Fravel V*, Evans RH, Journal of Marine Animals and Their Ecology, Volume 1 (1): 12-14, 2008 *Ms. Fravel, a third year veterinary student at Western University School of Veterinary Medicine, Pomona, California served an externship at Pacific Marine Mammal Center.
	Contaminants still high in top-level carnivores in the Southern California Bight: Levels of DDT and PCBs in resident and transient pinnipeds Mary Ellen Blasius* and Gwen D. Goodmanlowe, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 56: 1773-1782, 2008. * Mary Blasius has been a PMMC Animal Care volunteer for several years. Part of the data presented in her paper came from samples submitted by PMMC.
	Urogenital Carcinomas in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) Richard H. Evans, DVM, MS (Path.), Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Laguna Beach,CA(USA) and Suzana Tkalcic, DVM, PhD, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA (USA) * Poster displayed at the 18th Ljudvit Jurak International Symposium on Comparative Pathology, Zagreb, Croatia, June 1-2, 2007
	Mortality & Morbidity of Pinnipeds Stranded on Orange County Beaches in 2009 Richard H. Evans, DVM, MS (Path.), Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Laguna Beach,CA(USA) *Poster displayed at the "Southern California Marine Mammal Workshop", Pacific Life Insurance, Newport, California, January 9-10, 2010

Photo Gallery
(coming soon)
This section contains high-resolution, digital gross and microscopic photographs, arranged by organ system. You are free to download them, as long as due credit is given to their publication by Pacific Marine Mammal Center.

California Sea Lion Chronic Kidney Disease click image to enlarge