How Veterinarians Care for Marine Animals

Do you go for routine checkups at the doctor? Well, animals have to too.

At Georgia Aquarium, the veterinarians have come up with some pretty creative ways to treat their patients– from the smallest fish to the largest marine mammals.

April 08, 2022

By: Discovery and Georgia Aquarium

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The animal health team at Georgia Aquarium are dedicated to overseeing the health of the thousands of animals that call the Aquarium home.

There is no “average day” working in animal health at Georgia Aquarium. One day could be spent on ultrasound desense training with sea lions.

This training helps to desensitize animals to health-related equipment or techniques, which allows the animals to be more relaxed during checkups and procedures.

From the smallest animals at the Aquarium…

…to the largest! Routine checkups are important in preventative healthcare.

Health exams are a part of the preventative health care program at Georgia Aquarium and ensure that any developing problems are addressed early and monitored closely.

Georgia Aquarium’s animal health and zoological operations teams also record the growth of each animal, such as length, weight, and girth.

When warranted, CT scans are part of the advanced imaging protocols performed with aquarium animals. This imaging gives a closer look at an animal’s internal health. Some animals, such as dolphins, are conditioned to voluntarily participate in these procedures.

The dolphins at Georgia Aquarium are trained to voluntarily participate in their own healthcare. Everyone from veterinary staff to curators and animal trainers are involved during these preventative exams.

A career in animal health takes hard work but is extremely rewarding. The dedicated team at Georgia Aquarium hopes to inspire future animal health professionals.