Treatment of a sole abscess in an Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) using regional digital intravenous perfusion.
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- x 0.5- x 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.
Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Parc Zoologique de Paris, 53 avenue de St. Maurice 75012 Paris, France.
Florence
F
Ollivet-Courtois
Alexis
A
Lécu
Rebecca A
RA
Yates
Lucy H
LH
Spelman
D000038:Abscess / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002440:Cefoxitin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003646:Debridement / Q000662:veterinary; D004606:Elephants / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006724:Hoof and Claw / Q000473:pathology; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000209:etiology; D010477:Perfusion / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005839:Gentamicins; D002440:Cefoxitin