Elephants Elephants - Wildpro - Twycross Zoo

Fractures and longitudinal splits. Where the pulp is compromised, bacteria
can cause infection within the tusk or even into the maxilla. These conditions
are not only life threatening to the elephant, but can also be very painful.
Simple and recent fractures involving the pulp may be reparable by
endodontic treatment, but more severe or chronic cases require extraction.
Impacted molars often result from failure of the preceding molar fragments to
be shed, which may in turn result from inadequate provision of browse. In
extreme cases the author has seen deviation of molars through 90 degrees.
Such molar problems can be a cause of chronic weight loss. Molar abscesses
do occur and may progress to osteomyelitis and gross swelling of the
mandible.
Sulcus infections are usually a result of foreign body.
Urogenital Tract
Chronic renal failure (CRF) occurs in older animals as a result of fibrotic
conditions of the kidney, and should always be considered in the differential
diagnosis of chronic weight loss. In young elephants, renal calculi may lead to
CRF. Renal disease in elephants currently carries a poor prognosis.
Lymphofollicular vulvitis of unknown cause and clinical significance is
sometimes seen in females. Lesions consist of hyperaemic nodules or plaques
in the mucosa of the distal urogenital tract. Mucosal polyps, papillomas and
sarcomas in the distal urogenital tract of female African and Asian elephants
have been reported. Urogenital discharges are relatively common and many
cases resolve without treatment.
Viral Disease
Significant viral infections that can affect elephants include the following:
Cowpox & cowpox-like viruses. Both African and Asian elephants are
susceptible, although Asian elephants are thought to be the more so. Early
clinical signs include reduced appetite, difficulty in swallowing, stiffness and
lameness. Typical pox lesions develop around the lips, trunk tip, tongue,
eyelids, perianal and perivulvar skin, etc., although lesions may arise
anywhere on the body. Fatal generalised disease can also occur. In some
cases there is undermining of the nails and soles. The condition is zoonotic
(Kuntze 1999; Williams and Barker 2001) and rodents are the likely carriers of
the viruses involved; where a problem exists a vaccination programme can be
attempted.
Elephant endotheliotropic herpes viruses have recently been identified as the
cause of fatal infections in young Asian and African elephants. Two related
viruses have been identified although not yet cultured, one being fatal to
Asian elephants and the other fatal to African elephants. Both have been
found in African elephants i.e. African elephants are known to carry the virus
that is lethal for Asian elephants. Lymphoid nodules with herpes virus
inclusion bodies have also been seen in lungs of many wild elephants from the
Kruger National Park. The route of transmission is not clear, but it is obvious
that Asian & African elephants should not be kept in mixed groups.
Outbreaks of disease have been described in Europe and the United States.
Young stock is usually affected and fatalities can occur within one week. The
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