Journal Article

TREATMENT OF A SOLE ABSCESS IN AN ASIAN ELEPHANT (ELEPHAS MAXIMUS) USING REGIONAL DIGITAL INTRAVENOUS PERFUSION

Yates, Rebecca A., Lécu, Alexis, Spelman, Lucy H., Ollivet-Courtois, Florence

2003

Overview

Regional digital i.v. perfusion was used to treat a severe sole abscess associated with a wire foreign body in a 19-yr-old female Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) housed at the Paris Zoo. The cow presented with acute right forelimb lameness and swelling that persisted despite 4 days of anti-inflammatory therapy. Under anesthesia, a 10- × 0.5- × 0.5-cm wire was extracted from the sole of the right foot. There was a 2-cm-deep, 7-cm-diameter abscess pocket that was subsequently debrided. Regional digital i.v. perfusion was performed and repeated 15 days later, using cefoxitin and gentamicin on both occasions. Between treatments, the cow received trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole and phenylbutazone orally. Within 2 days of administering anesthesia and the first perfusion treatment, the lameness improved dramatically. When phenylbutazone was discontinued 1 wk after the first treatment, the lameness had completely resolved. At the second treatment, there was no evidence of further soft tissue infection, and the abscess pocket had resolved.

• Publisher: American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
• Subject: abscess / Abscess - therapy / Abscess - veterinary / Abscesses / Anesthesia / Animals / Animals, Zoo / Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use / Antibiotics / Asian elephant / CASE REPORTS / Cefoxitin - therapeutic use / Debridement - veterinary / Elephants / Elephants - injuries / Elephas maximus / Feet / Female / Foreign Bodies - complications / Foreign Bodies - veterinary / Gentamicins - therapeutic use / Hoof and Claw - pathology / Infections / Lameness, Animal - etiology / Osteomyelitis / Perfusion / Perfusion - methods / Perfusion - veterinary / regional digital intravenous perfusion / sole / Tourniquets / Treatment Outcome / Zoos