Oregon Coast Aquarium Pilots New Tech to Help World’s Oldest Harbor Seal
Oregon Coast Aquarium’s veterinary team uses cold plasma technology to support 51-year-old Skinny’s recovery from a persistent surgical wound
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Skinny, the 51-year-old harbor seal
NEWPORT, Ore., Nov. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Oregon Coast Aquarium (OCAq) announced today that Skinny, the world’s oldest known living Pacific Harbor seal, has fully recovered following complex eye-removal surgery. When a stubborn post-surgical wound proved challenging to manage, her veterinary care team introduced an innovative cold plasma therapy from neoplas VET into her treatment plan to promote wound healing.
Currently 51 years old, Skinny was found stranded in 1975 as a pup on a Washington state beach, orphaned and dehydrated. Rescued and unable to return to the wild, she eventually found a permanent home at OCAq, where she has been a visitor and staff favorite for decades.
Caring for any seal in its golden years requires close attention to evolving needs. OCAq mammalogists and veterinary professionals provide individualized care to help Skinny stay comfortable as she ages. Years of training and trust building between Skinny and her caretakers have also helped her participate in medical exams.
In late April, Skinny’s eye lens became displaced, causing painful pressure inside her eye and requiring surgical removal of the eye. While the incision appeared to heal well initially, the wound eventually reopened, and her care team was challenged to find another approach.
“The eye is a complicated location for treating wounds,” said Dr. Cassandra Bliss, DVM, DACVO, board-certified ophthalmologist and Skinny’s surgeon. “We sought a gentle yet impactful solution that would promote fast wound healing without prolonged antibiotics or putting Skinny through another procedure or anesthesia. Neoplas VET provided that and showed effectiveness almost immediately.”
Skinny was first given oral and topical antibiotics, and the area was flushed with a diluted antiseptic solution daily. She also received two rounds of an infrared therapeutic laser. These approaches led to some improvement, but not to the care team’s satisfaction.
In August, the team added kINPen® VET cold plasma treatment from neoplas VET into Skinny’s existing wound-care regimen. The gentle and contact-free treatment was administered without additional anesthesia. Skinny’s wound subsequently showed positive healing progress, and the veterinary team reported that it had fully healed by early October.
“We felt it was important to promote healing without long-term antibiotic use that could create resistance or having to put her under anesthesia again, especially given Skinny’s advanced age,” said Dr. Anna Wepprich, veterinarian and Skinny’s caretaker, Oregon Coast Aquarium. “We are thankful that incorporating kINPen VET treatments helped the wound heal without needing either.”
kINPen® VET is designed for professional veterinary wound management in mammals, supporting wound-healing processes and helping reduce microbial burden. The treatment can be added to existing wound-care plans. “Our goal is to provide veterinarians with a precise and contact-free treatment option that supports wound healing,” said Ulrike Sailer, CEO of neoplas GmbH. “We are delighted to see kINPen® VET being used as part of the veterinary team’s approach to managing this challenging case.”
Available in Europe and currently expanding into the United States, neoplas VET offers the world’s first argon-based cold plasma jet for veterinary medicine.
About Oregon Coast Aquarium
Since opening in 1992, the Oregon Coast Aquarium has been a premier attraction on Oregon’s central coast and an enduring advocate for the health of our ocean. For over three decades, this 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization has supported marine wildlife and fostered environmental stewardship through its education programs, community partnerships, and rehabilitation efforts. Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, the Oregon Coast Aquarium is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 aquariums in the U.S., providing visitors with opportunities to connect with 15,000 animals spanning 300 different species. Learn more about the Oregon Coast Aquarium and its vital work at aquarium.org, Facebook, and Twitter.
About neoplas GmbH
neoplas GmbH specializes in cold plasma jet technology and is a leading innovator in this emerging field. Its kINPen® VET plasma jet is designed for the treatment of acute and chronic wounds, as well as pathogen-related skin disorders, in mammals. The company continues to advance argon-based cold plasma jet technology for professional veterinary wound management, with the goal of supporting wound healing and reducing treatment burden. For more information, please visit neoplas-vet.com/skinny-highlight-case, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Media contacts:
Jeremy Burke
Oregon Coast Aquarium
+1 541.867.3474 x 1130
Jeremy.Burke@aquarium.org
Heather Caouette
RAE Communications
+1 508-579-3894
heatherc@rae-communications.com
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