Capture myopathy after surgery in striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba): a case report

In the summer 2014, a male juvenile live striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) was stranded alive along the Ionian Calabrian coast (Italy) due to a severe wound close to the tail likely caused by entanglement in fishing gears. Radiographic exam during first medical evaluation evidenced a Salter-Harris fracture type 1 of a lumbar vertebra. Since the animal survive for three days, a surgical approach with a ‘hand-made’ external fixator specifically designed for this animal was attempted. Serum samples were collected the day before the surgery, during the surgery and the day after to evaluate renal and hepatic functions and muscular condition; unfortunately, the striped dolphin died suddenly the day after the surgery. A detailed necropsy was carried out within 12 hours, tissue samples were collected and routinely processed for histopathological examination. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis using anti-myoglobin and anti-fibrinogen was performed on skeletal and cardiac muscles and on kidney. A urine sample was also collected during the necropsy and proteinuria analysis with SDS-age was performed. Biochemical values of BUN, ALT and AST values were above the upper limits of reference range in all the three serum samples while creatinine values were below the lower limit. Also the serum amyloid A (SAA) was markedly higher, in particular in the post-surgical samples, while an increase in total serum protein was noticed only in samples collected after surgery. Post- mortem analyses did not showed any relevant pathological changes. IHC revealed severe muscular damage with myoglobin staining evident in renal tissues. Urinalysis showed urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio of 5:3 with glomerular proteinuria. Clinical-pathological and pathological findings suggest that cause of death was capture myopathy (CM) related to ischaemia-reperfusion damage due to elevated concentrations of catecholamines. This case point out as CM could have a role in mortality following the live-stranding event and compromised subsequent rehabilitation.