Gernot Redeker, 26 Dec 2022: Photo taken 3rd January 2023. Hi everyone. Any advice on the following case. This rhino (above) was shot on 23 December 2022, it is still eating and acting 100% normal according to owner. What concerns me is that owner says that stomach content is coming out the wound. If that is really the case, what is the chance of survival? I will go out tomorrow morning to immobilise and examine it. Henry Labuschagne, [26 Dec 2022 at 13:16:42]: Poor prognosis - do a celiotomy asap. Aggressive Rx for peritonitis. 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 made 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. I am not sure there is anything practical we can do to close the stomach hole. Plugging this with acriflavine impregnated bandage or something similar may just cause more irritation than achieving 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 is almost impossible, as it is located deep behind the ribcage and the risk for complications is a lot greater than letting it go untreated in my opinion. Has anyone got advice what best to do in this case? Any advice / comment will be greatly appreciated!! The last photo was taken today, 15 days post shooting. Henry Labuschagne, [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.
