SWT/KWS MARA MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT
APRIL 2024
Cases in April
April Report by Dr. Michael Njoroge.
The SWT/KWS Mara Mobile Veterinary Unit attended to 4 Cases in April 2024.
In Naboisho Conservancy, the veterinary team attended to an adult female elephant with 2 arrowheads lodged in its hind quarters. Fortunately, treatment was successful, and the elephant has a good prognosis. A day later, the team attended to an adult male Masai giraffe with a spear wound on the abdomen spewing gastric contents. Given the possibility systemic infection had set in, the giraffe has a guarded prognosis. The team also rescued a 3-week-old common zebra foal in Mara North Conservancy that was found abandoned by staff at Speke’s Camp. The foal was taken to the Kenya Wildlife Service Nairobi Orphanage for specialized care. Lasty, the Mara Mobile Veterinary Unit attended to an adult lioness from the Egyptian pride with an infected wound in the spinal region. The lioness was most likely injured by an antelope during a hunt. Treatment was successful and the lioness has a good prognosis.
Acknowledgement
The Mara Mobile Veterinary team greatly appreciates Elizabeth Scarlett for funding the Unit through the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. The team also thanks Kenya Wildlife Service for providing technical support and all the conservation partners who contributed to the success of veterinary interventions through timely reporting of veterinary cases and monitoring of treated animals.
Case Details
1 Lion Case 1 Elephant Case Date Species Area Found Reason for Intervention Outcome 09-Apr 24 Elephant Naibosho Conservancy Arrow Adult female elephant with 2 arrowheads lodged in the hind quarters Successfully treated 10-Apr 24 Giraffe Sianna Conservancy Spear Adult male Masai giraffe with a spear wound in the abdomen Guarded prognosis 11-Apr 24 Zebra Mara North Conservancy Rescue Abandoned 3-week-old female common zebra foal found by Speke's Camp staff Taken to Orphanage 14-Apr 24 Lion Mara Triangle Natural Causes Adult lioness from the Egyptian pride with a deep infected wound in the spinal region Successfully treated
4
Introduction
April 2024
SWT/KWS Mara Mobile Vet Unit Treatment Locations
Case
Elephant Arrow Naboisho Conservancy
Rangers from the Naboisho Conservancy spotted an adult female elephant that had 2 arrow heads lodged in its hind quarters. The Mara Mobile Veterinary Unit was informed and promptly intervened.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The elephant was darted successfully with 14mgs Etorphine. When the drugs took effect 7 minutes later, it was brought down with a gentle push to ensure it assumed recumbency
The 2 arrowheads in the elephant’s hind quarters were carefully removed then the penetrating wounds were cleaned with water, flushed with Hydrogen peroxide, and disinfected with Iodine. Antibiotic pessaries were inserted into the infected deep wounds to deter any chances of reinfection before they were covered with Tetracycline spray and green clay. Systemically, 30,000mg Amoxicillin and 50mgs Dexamethasone were administered intramuscularly. Anaesthesia was reversed with 170mgs Naltrexone, two-thirds was administered intravenously while a third was administered intramuscularly.
Prognosis
The elephant has a good prognosis.
th
1 – 09
April 2024
Case 2 – 10th April 2024
Giraffe Spear Sianna Conservancy
Rangers reported an adult male giraffe with gastric contents leaking from a spear wound to the abdomen
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The giraffe was darted successfully with 15mgs Etorphine and 25mgs Azaperone When the drugs took effect 7 minutes later, the animal was smoothly roped down. A blindfold was also placed over the giraffe’s eyes to minimize visual excitation then anaesthesia was immediately reversed with 210mgs Naltrexone administered both intravenously and intramuscularly. Treatment was performed while the giraffe was physically restrained by pinning its head and neck to the ground.
The abdominal wound was cleaned with Hydrogen peroxide, disinfected with Iodine, and sprayed with a topical antibiotic. Systemically, 3,000mgs Amoxicillin and 40mgs Dexamethasone were administered intramuscularly.
Prognosis
Upon release, the giraffe achieved sternal recumbency before energetically rising and moving towards the thick bush nearby. The giraffe has a guarded prognosis since systemic infection may have set in.
Case
3 – 11th April 2024
Zebra Rescue Speke’s Camp, Mara North Conservancy
Speke’s Camp staff found an abandoned 3-week-old female common zebra foal and informed the SWT/KWS Mara Mobile Veterinary Unit.
Rescue
The foal was taken to the Nairobi Orphanage for specialized care.
Lion
Natural Causes
Mara Triangle
The SWT/KWS Mara Mobile Veterinary Unit attended to an adult lioness from the Egyptian pride with a deep infected wound in the spinal region. The lion was most likely injured by an antelope while hunting.
Immobilisation, examination and treatment
The injured lioness was darted on the pelvic muscle with 300mgs Ketamine and 4mgs Medetomidine. She was completely sedated 10 minutes later assuming sternal recumbency. A blindfold was placed over her eyes then she was moved to the shade and positioned in left lateral recumbency Pus and maggots were observed in the wound. The infected wound was cleaned with water, flushed with Hydrogen peroxide, disinfected with Iodine, and covered with Tetracycline (Alamycin) wound spray. Systemically, 15,000mgs Amoxicillin, and 30mgs Dexamethasone were administered intramuscularly 40mg Ivermectin was also injected subcutaneously to control internal and external parasites.
Reversal and Prognosis
Anaesthesia was reversed 1 hour post immobilization with 20mgs Atipamezole administered intramuscularly. She showed signs of palpebral reflex and ear twitching after half an hour and moved into sternal recumbency 15 minutes later. She walked away 1 hour post revival and was left with her pride with a good prognosis.
Case 4 – 14th April 2024