Seals are wild animals and are, therefore, rarely brought to vets when they are sick. One exception from this is seen at seal sanctuaries, which administer medical care to sick or young stranded seals that have been rescued and admitted. An example of this is the nonprofit organization, A-Seal, in Stellendam, the Netherlands. This organization rescues and rehabilitates seals that have been stranded along the nearby Dutch coastline. These seals are often pups that have been separated from their mothers, but they can also be young or adult seals that are sick or injured. When treatment and rehabilitation are successful and complete, the seals are released back into the wild.

Veterinarians face various challenges when they examine wild seals because they are often not cooperative. Other practical problems are encountered due to seals’ stocky build and thick layer of blubber, which can make manual examination difficult, especially of the spine, limbs or joints. In cases of a suspected ear problem, otoscopy can also be very difficult to perform, as seals have a very narrow external auditory canal.

To overcome some of these problems, radiographic examinations are often carried out in rehabilitation centers, mainly of bony structures and the lungs. However, in some patients a CT scan can be a quick and non-invasive way to obtain additional and more detailed information.

The following series of clinical cases illustrates the importance of performing CT scanning in wildlife. The cases demonstrate that CT is suitable for assessing anatomical structures that are not clearly visible on plain radiography.

Three young seals, recently rescued on the beach, were examined by the responsible veterinarian, Dr. Machteld Geut. The clinical findings of the three cases were then discussed with veterinarians, Dr. Gert ter Haar and Dr. Susanne A.E.B. Boroffka. This multidisciplinary consultation concluded that CT examination is necessary for optimal imaging and evaluation of the submitted seals.