Whale On Hayling

[snowflake]

cos they were all going the other way to avoid the harpoon gun.

[Frogster]

Well done to all the people who tried to help the whale, I know some people say we should let nature run its course, but what do we do when our pet animals get sick? or go off their food? do we let nature run its course or do we pay insurance so that we can afford to take them to the vets for test and treatment?

And if our pet animal is terminaly ill do we allow nature to take its course or do we do the kindest thing for them and have them pts?

That is why people were helping this whale, they werent interfearing they are caring individuals and vets who did all they could to try and save him. If they had left the whales fate to nature, he would have floated around the harbour for a week and taken a week to die, instead they monitered him and gave him an injection so that he died in 20 minutes, peaceful and quickly.

The whale was 7 tons, he was 2 days swimming distance from water deep enough for him, whilst in the sea he is weightless, but on land his body weight was crushing him, they didnt think he would make it for that reason alone before they found out he was sick. Im sad but pleased that the vets made the right decision for him, as I hate to see any animal suffer, they deserve as much care as pets and humans do.

[chad yellowhammer]

Good post Frogster. I did wonder if people were assuming the diagnosis of Renal failure meant the whale was ill with kidney failure before it swam into the harbour? From what I can gather the renal failure was a result of the 'crushing' that Frogster mentioned, as the musculature collapses and releases toxins into the body - which cause the kidneys to fail. The renal failure is a result of the stranding, rather then a cause of it.

Or so I've been told.

[Frogster]

Originally Posted by chad yellowhammer

Good post Frogster. I did wonder if people were assuming the diagnosis of Renal failure meant the whale was ill with kidney failure before it swam into the harbour? From what I can gather the renal failure was a result of the 'crushing' that Frogster mentioned, as the musculature collapses and releases toxins into the body - which cause the kidneys to fail. The renal failure is a result of the stranding, rather then a cause of it.

Or so I've been told.

thats what ive read, he was also sevely de-hydrated.

Bottlenose whales eat deepsea squid, they get their water intake from the food that they eat. As this whale was 3000 miles off course he hasnt eaten for a number of days and was very ill. He had beached on Thursday, and then a second time on Friday, although he swam off they knew that if and when he beached himself for the third time his injuries would be sever.