Seal and Sea Lion Medicine

Seals and sea lions are commonly managed in display facilities and rehabilitated after stranding, with much of the medicine presented here learned from care of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus), northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus), South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens), harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), gray seal (Halichoerus grypus), and northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris). While disease prevalences vary widely across species and environment, much of the knowledge gained from care of these more common species may be applied to lesser known species.