Tapirs are common and appreciated animals in zoos all around the world with a relatively simple management, nonetheless they need rather peculiar dedicated enclosures to thrive. A 12 years old female lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris) from a zoological facility in Northern Italy was presented with a history of teeth grinding, disorexia, pica, constipation and weight loss in the last 2 two months. Management was suboptimal, with an excess of low-fiber food and no access to water to submerge. The patient had been regularly tested for mycobacteriosis, with negative results. Inspection revealed poor body condition score and abdominal distension. The tapir was anesthetized in order to perform proper clinical examination, hematological and biochemical exams and a computed tomography (CT) scan. No signs of dental or foot problem were detected during clinical examination. Bloodwork was unremarkable, while CT scan revealed massive gastric and intestinal impaction. An attempt to empty the stomach by flushing with a gastric tube was performed with no results, so it was resorted decided to perform to surgical disimpaction via laparotomic gastrotomy: 3 kilograms of dry vegetal material were removed from the patient’s stomach. Since the intestinal content was less compacted, no enterotomy was performed. Anesthesia, diagnostic and surgical procedure were uneventful, and the patient was discharged the same day after recovery. Medical, dietary and environmental therapy were set. Three weeks after surgery, the patient was had fully recovered with complete remission of the symptoms.
A case of gastrointestinal impaction in a lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris) / E. Bardi, M. Oltolina, G. Ravasio, F. Di Cesare, D. De Zani, M. Manfredi, D. Guadagnini, S. Romussi. ((Intervento presentato al 4. convegno International Conference on Avian Herpetological and Exotic Mammal Medicine tenutosi a London nel 2019.
A case of gastrointestinal impaction in a lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris)
E. Bardi;G. Ravasio;F. Di Cesare;D. De Zani;M. Manfredi;S. Romussi
2019
Abstract
Tapirs are common and appreciated animals in zoos all around the world with a relatively simple management, nonetheless they need rather peculiar dedicated enclosures to thrive. A 12 years old female lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris) from a zoological facility in Northern Italy was presented with a history of teeth grinding, disorexia, pica, constipation and weight loss in the last 2 two months. Management was suboptimal, with an excess of low-fiber food and no access to water to submerge. The patient had been regularly tested for mycobacteriosis, with negative results. Inspection revealed poor body condition score and abdominal distension. The tapir was anesthetized in order to perform proper clinical examination, hematological and biochemical exams and a computed tomography (CT) scan. No signs of dental or foot problem were detected during clinical examination. Bloodwork was unremarkable, while CT scan revealed massive gastric and intestinal impaction. An attempt to empty the stomach by flushing with a gastric tube was performed with no results, so it was resorted decided to perform to surgical disimpaction via laparotomic gastrotomy: 3 kilograms of dry vegetal material were removed from the patient’s stomach. Since the intestinal content was less compacted, no enterotomy was performed. Anesthesia, diagnostic and surgical procedure were uneventful, and the patient was discharged the same day after recovery. Medical, dietary and environmental therapy were set. Three weeks after surgery, the patient was had fully recovered with complete remission of the symptoms.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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