Doctors Khajohnpat and Siripat continued their diligent work for the elephants of Thailand in the month of June. Even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to seriously affect the region and the travel conditions remain treacherous, our CMU veterinarians’ dedication remains strong.
Fecal samples showed signs of improvement after treatment
June first had the doctors travelling to the area of Mae Wang. The doctors spent several days in that district tending to elephants with a variety of problems. June 2nd saw the veterinarians helping an elephant who wasn’t eating or drinking water, and had diarrhea which included dirt inside the feces. Treatments, which included activated charcoal and oral rehydration salt, began immediately. A few days later the elephant had fully recovered and was eating and acting normally.
Continuing in Mae Wang district, the team visited a camp with a mother elephant who was suffering from colic. At 4:00pm on June 4th, the vets started the mother on fluids and pain medications. They performed an enema, which revealed the elephant had dry, rough feces.
Mother receiving treatment, while calf stands under her head
After a day of treatment, the mother was still unable to pass feces on her own. The doctors continued to perform treatments, even with the mother’s calf by her side, and worked until 4:00pm on June 5th. To promote gastrointestinal activity and movement, the elephant was led by her mahout to the nearby river, and she finally passed the feces.
The next case in Mae Wang saw the veterinarians treating a young calf who had been bitten by a leech, and had been bleeding for six hours. After a call from the owner of the elephant, the veterinarians arrived at 8:00pm on June 9th and started treatments to stop the bleeding. Thankfully, the treatments were successful and the young elephant made a full recovery.
This was a busy month for the CMU Mobile Vet Clinic, so we will continue with more June updates in our next newsletter. In the meantime, visit the AES website to donate and support these essential efforts in providing critical care to our beloved Thailand elephants.
