Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) is one of Florida's most unique non-profit cultural destinations focused on ocean and sea turtle conservation. Their vision is, "to be recognized locally and internationally as the leading authority in sea turtle education, research, and rehabilitation."

The Gordon and Patricia Gray Veterinary Hospital is a state-of-the-art hospital devoted to the care of sea turtles. LMC provides all the same veterinary diagnostic, medical treatment, and surgical services that you would find in the best veterinary hospitals. The hospital consists of a treatment room, a veterinary pharmacy, digital x-ray room, a surgical suite, and a necropsy room.

Advanced medical equipment is critical to saving lives. Funding from The Gordon and Patricia Gray Animal Welfare Foundation was used to purchase two additional world class machines, which will transform patient outcomes and allow the oceanside campus to serve as a global teaching hub. Multiple sea turtle patients have already been given a second chance at life due to these incredibly powerful devices.

"These machines involve two different imaging modalities that allow us to see inside our sea turtle patients beyond routine radiographs", said Dr. Charles Manire, LMC Director of Research & Rehabilitation. "This vastly improves our ability to both diagnose and treat our patients," he added.

Loggerhead Marinelife Center's new high-definition ultrasound machine enables hospital staff to clearly examine the intricate anatomy of sea turtle patients. This provides LMC staff with a different perspective on ailments, allowing them to formulate targeted treatment plans. The second device, the Karl Storz EndoSkope, is the most advanced of its kind. Many of the sea turtle patients that arrive to the center's hospital have complex internal medical challenges; such as plastic and fishing hook ingestion.

The endoscope's high-definition digital monitor will allow LMC's staff veterinarian to better examine delicate organs such as the lungs and gastrointestinal tract. Should patients need an endoscopic surgical intervention, the team at Loggerhead Marinelife Center now has one of the most advanced surgical tools available. This provides great hope for the center's current sea turtle patients and their future generations.