Dr. Eye, and the staff from the Chiang Mai University Mobile Vet Clinic continued their mission for Thailand’s elephants throughout the month of November. And, once again, they had a very busy month.
One of the services that AES is proud to support is the continued education that the CMU Mobile Vet Clinic provides to the elephant owners and mahouts in northern Thailand.
Dr. Eye with calf experiencing gastrointestinal issues
In early November, Dr. Eye visited an elephant camp in Mae Wang. The elephants here had come back to Chiang Mai from rural towns with the resurgence of tourism to the area. Upon visiting these elephants, the CMU team found that some of them were experiencing an imbalance in their nutrition and also needed treatment for internal parasites. The team took time during this visit to educate the mahouts and owners on proper dietary management for their elephants.
Member of the CMU Team consulting with a mahout about elephant diets
That trip was followed by a continuing education opportunity for the veterinarians, themselves. They attended a Neurological and Musculoskeletal System Examination Workshop from November 10-11.
Historically it has been difficult to diagnose the cause of nervous and musculoskeletal issues in elephants due to limited knowledge and diagnostic issues. During this conference, the team learned about disorders, procedures and diagnostic tools they can use, as well as how the issues progress and how they can be treated.
The remainder of November included visits and the successful treatment of various health issues in the Mae Wang area. Issues ranged from skin and foot problems, to gastrointestinal and viral problems.
Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus, or EEHV, is a serious and life threatening virus that is found across Asia in both wild elephants and those in human care. The CMU veterinary team continues to fight this disease in Thailand as well. Unfortunately, on November 22, the Mobile Vet Clinic had to treat another calf with suspected EEHV.
This one-year old calf was reported to have facial swelling and was lethargic for several days. Upon examination, it was found that the calf did have a swollen face, fever of 100° F, as well as a slightly red tongue - all symptoms of EEHV. The calf was immediately given steroids, antiviral medication and antioxidants so he could be transported to the elephant hospital at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts from all of the veterinary teams involved, the calf passed away on November 27.
Dr. Eye and the CMU Mobile Vet Clinic are constantly hard at work, caring for Thailand’s elephants all year long. To show your support to their efforts, please visit www.asianelephantsupport.org to make a contribution to their efforts.
