Moea, the 14-year-old sea otter, recently received her routine wellness exam. While under anesthesia, the rescued sea otter was weighed, x-rayed, and given a full dental exam and cleaning.
Veterinarian Dr. Kadie Anderson checked Moea’s eyes and nose, listened to her heart and lungs and examined her body.
Sea otters are vital for the health of coastal ecosystems, particularly kelp forests like those in Puget Sound and Monterey Bay. They love to eat the purple sea urchins that would otherwise devour these vital forests.
Veterinary Technician Sara collected blood that will be analyzed to check for any health conditions that might not be apparent on a physical exam.
Preferring coastal waters, sea otters can be found from Alaska to California. They were hunted nearly to extinction for their fur. Sea otter fur is the densest of any mammal, with up to one million hairs per square inch.
Veterinary Technician Sara then performed a dental cleaning. During the cleaning, Sara identified a crack in one of Moea’s teeth.
Lastly, Dr. Anderson did an ultrasound to check Moea’s organs for any abnormalities. It all looked good!
Moea was given a clean bill of health.
After Moea’s exam, Dr. Anderson followed up with veterinary dental consultants, who determined the crack in Moea’s tooth is an enamel infraction – a micro-fracture that develops on the enamel. No follow-up treatment was recommended by the dentists.