In California sea lions, a fairly common finding is urogenital carcinoma (see more in the pathology section here). Often this disease manifests as lesions on the cervix or elsewhere in the reproductive tract and can spread (metastasize) throughout the body. A thorough examination of the reproductive tract during necropsy will include close visual exam of the vagina, cervix, uterus, and ovaries looking for lesions, CORPUS ALBINCANS or CORPUS LUTEUM (indicating a pregnancy) or placental scars from recent pregnancies. Don’t forget to check out these same structures in the sea otter on our sister site, The Inner Otter.
Detailed annotated images of the female reproductive tract in a California Sea Lion are shown below.
