Steatitis and Vitamin E deficiency in captive olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea)

Steatitis, which is caused by vitamin E deficiency, was observed in 3 captive Olive Ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) at Phuket Marine Biological Center, Phuket Province, Thailand during March to August 2005. Clinical findings had only shown depression and emaciation. Necropsy had revealed firm yellowish-brown masses distributed in fat tissues throughout the body. The predisposing cause of the disease is considered to be resulting from feeding these turtles mainly with frozen fish for more than 20 years, which can lead to vitamin E deficiency. Since there has been no effective treatment for chronic vitamin E deficiency, changes of the feeding from frozen fish to fresh fish and vitamin E supplementation of 100 IU/kg of fish fed have been recommended as a preventive treatment for the rest of the sea turtles in the center.