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Girl From Sea Lion Video Treated For ‘Seal Finger’

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29 May 2017

By Bronwen

Vancouver Aquarium has been making headlines this week after one of its visitors was snatched into the water by a sea lion and rescued immediately after by her grandfather. Despite the video showing the girl hurrying away with her family, the ordeal is still far from over.

The little girl suffered a nasty 4 inch bite from the seal as it grabbed her waist. Naturally, a sea lion’s mouth is full of bacteria so a bite from one that penetrates the skin can result in a condition called ‘seal finger’. This condition is named after sealers who often end up ill after handling seals. It can cause cellulitis, inflammation of the joints and swelling of the bone marrow. The only way to stop the spreading of the illness is through amputation of infected body parts.

The girl is currently on antibiotics to try and prevent any infection spreading from where she was bitten. If it does turn out that she has ‘seal finger’, she could end up seriously ill.

The family was contacted by staff at Vancouver Aquarium once they saw the video to tell them that it would be wise to seek treatment before it’s too late.

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