Awais Baig, 26 Jan 2025 Hi. I need urgent suggestions. I have an elephant having colic signs and he is showing behaviour of flexing and sitting down on ground, also going off feed. Stool looks good; also, he is urinating a lot. What could I treat him with? Any suggestions please Previously we were giving Flunixin Rob Jackson, [26 Jan 2025 at 8:58:42 AM]: Flunixin, Buscopan. Is it tame? For standing sedation, use butorphanol and medetomidine. Give enemas, and IV fluids - treat like a horse! If not tame, knock it out completely and do the same. I/v fluids. Impaction common. Check stools for sand, sand colic if you are not regularly giving psyllium husks Do blood chemistry and haematology. Check hydration, include lactate in the drip. Awais Baig, [26 Jan 2025 at 2:21:43 PM]: I did the blood checks, and gave Flunixin at 1mg/kg, along with Amoxiclav. Yes, it's tame. Rob Jackson, [26 Jan 2025 at 5:39:07 PM]: Did the Flunixin control the pain? If so for how long? Did it have a fever? The stool looks wet, maybe increased GIT activity. Antibiotic may be a good idea. Check stool for worm eggs, adult worms and sand. Has food changed? How old is the elephant, how are the teeth? Older elephants don't chew properly, and I have had palm fibres binding stool together resulting in impactions. I did not look closely - is it female, if so, could it be pregnant? Foetus moving? Dystocia? I approach horse colic with oral fluids, and although not practical in an adult elephant, it should be possible to pass a tube with a gag if sedated. This however can possibly be dangerous to the vet. Rather give high volumes of i/v fluids, enemas, administer both at least twice per day Where are you based? If one shot of Finadyne does not work, you will need to start other treatments as the Finadyne masks symptoms and makes the elephant look better than it really is. Is it drinking? Take food away until Finadyne wears off, even if it looks better
