Gernot Redeke : 26 Dec 2022 Hi everyone. Any advise on the following. This rhino got shot on 23.12, 2023, but it is still eating and acting 100% normal according to owner. What concerns me is, that owner says it is stomach content coming out the wound. If that is really the case, what is the chance of survival? I will go out tomorrow morning to immobilise it.... Thanks in advance HO Reuter, [06 Jan 2023 at 14:30:00]: Good afternoon, I had gone up with Gernot to treat this rhino. By some sort of co-incidence the shot must have gone in between the ribs very close to or along diaphragm into the stomach without penetrating the lungs. The omentum or connective tissue through which the shot went must miraculously have prevented gastric fluid from leaking into the peritoneum, and only through the bullet tract to the outside. This fluid causes irritation and infection to the surrounding tissues, hence swelling and pus, which drains out of the skin wound which we cut bigger to facilitate draining. We treated with Excede, Finadyne, Kyroligo, BCoBolic. Haematology and blood chemistry values were within normal range for white rhino. The bull remains alert, good appetite and normal behaviour, but there is still some gastric fluid leaking from the wound, which is also starting to swell. I will send photos 12 days and 15 days post shot to compare to initial photo Gernot had sent. Let's hope that the stomach hole can heal and then the wound from inside out. Taken 3 January 2023 I am not sure there is anything practical we can do to close the stomach hole. Plugging this with acriflavine impregnated bandage or similar may just cause more irritation than achieve the intended goal? The danger still persists that the stomach fluid leaks into the peritoneal cavity, which would cause peritonitis. For this reason I am reluctant to poke around and force something up the wound tract. To get to the stomach surgically so deep behind the ribcage is almost impossible, and risk for complications a lot greater than letting it go untreated in my opinion. Taken 6 January 2023 (15 days after shooting) Has anyone got advice what best to do in this case? (Henry, Louis, Michelle, 007 and all others?) Any advice / comment will be greatly appreciated!! Thank you! Henry Labuachagne, [07 Jan 2023 at 20:04:55]: HO. It seems as if he is doing fine. In my opinion your approach and Rx is on song. Just monitor for maggots causing complications. HO Reuter, [19 Jan 2023 at 14:35:12]: The rhino bull is still in pain. I have pushed the Previcox again up to 1 tablet per day (it was in the interim on 1/2 tablet then 1/4 tablets.) Plus Ulsanic / Omepracote, joint supplement from VetScripts, and then intermittently on and off Calgophos. He is also eating less, and has developed ulcerated pressure sores from lying a lot, which are getting deeper. Any ideas? I want to immobilise him again to check everything, clean the wounds, treat, check blood values, take X-rays etc. Alex Lewis, [19 Jan 2023 at 15:29:46]: Have you tested the water? Henry Labuachagne, [19 Jan 2023 at 15:37:11]: Remember to stagger the Ulsanic with at least 2 hrs before or after the other oral meds. Bart Gazendam, [19 Jan 2023 at 18:12:32]: I’m just thinking horses now, but perhaps if you can locate a joint that is perhaps more swollen/effused than others, perhaps can try to obtain a joint sample and run that as well… see what’s going on in the joints? If you have X-rays, I would try to obtain good X-rays of the feet to look for any signs of laminitis 🤷🏻♂️ What about serum amyloid A: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6962144/
