A Four Paws team successfully operated on the elephant Noor Jehan at the Karachi Zoo on Wednesday. They also did her blood tests, X-rays and ultrasound, diagnosing her with haematoma.
A press statement issued by the organisation said that with the support of the zoo caretakers, they used ropes and a crane to get Noor Jehan in the right position, then sedated her to perform the planned assessment.
However, after being sedated, the elephant could not stand on her own feet, even with the help of the crane. The vets then gave her the prepared antidotes to reverse the sedation. Fortunately, they were still able to carry on with the examination, starting with the thermal infrared camera that showed no broken bones, but the ultrasound showed the cause of her severe condition.
“We could detect an inner haematoma with a damaged pelvic diaphragm. These findings showed clearly that a trauma must have happened, which has caused her painful health condition and also explains her unusual body position. The haematoma compresses the urethra and disturbs urination, influencing the kidney function,” reads the statement.
Moreover, there is a lot of gas in the intestines due to long-term immobilisation, and due to the unusual posture of the body, the ligaments of her hind legs have shortened and the muscles atrophied.
The Four Paws believes she needs a lot of movement to reactivate and retrain the muscles, which will also improve gastrointestinal mobility. A special diet is required to reduce the gas. The experts have carried out laboratory and histology tests, treated the open wounds, administered medications, vitamins and painkillers, and conducted hydrotherapy.
Next they will prepare special recommendations, including medical treatment as well as enrichment in the enclosure, which would help in relieving the pain and in the recovery.
