Dottie, a 39-year-old dolphin – the first dolphin to receive kidney dialysis – has died at SeaWorld San Diego.
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The park announced her death Sunday on social media.
She was born at SeaWorld Orlando before being relocated to San Diego, which became her long-term home, according to park officials.
About 15 years ago, the SeaWorld veterinary team noticed she was ailing and conducted tests to see what was troubling her. An ultrasound discovered kidney stones. The team contacted a human physician, Dr. Roger Sur, a UCSD urologist, and he successfully preformed sugery at SeaWold to eliminate the stones.
Dottie had four calves, but it was unknown if they lived alongside her in San Diego.
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“Dottie shared an exceptionally close bond with her care team. These relationships supported the trust needed for voluntary diagnostic behaviors that helped maintain her health, particularly when diagnosed with kidney stones in 2010,” SeaWorld San Diego officials announced on Facebook.
“She will be deeply missed by the team who cared for her and by the countless guests who were able to connect with her over her remarkable life,” officials said.
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