FOOT DISORDERS AND TREATMENT FOR ELEPHANTS

          FOOT DISORDER IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN ELEPHANTS.DUE TO MORE WEIGHT THE FOOT TENDS TO BE INJURED. SO IT IS NEEDED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH FOOT IN ELEPHANTS.THE FOLLOWING ARE THE MAJOR FOOT DISORDERS

  1.BONE FRACTURE
  2.FOOT WOUNDS
 3.JOINT LUXATION
  4.FOOT FLY INFECTION
  5.SOLE CRACKS
  6.NAIL INFECTION AND ABSCESSS
  7.NAIL OVERGROWTH  

                                     1.BONE FRACTURE

IT PARTICULARLY AFFECTS LIMBS BUT ALSO AFFECTS JAW AND RIBS

CLINICAL SIGNS

• ANIMAL WILL LIE DOWN AND STAND IN ONE PLACE
• AFFECTED AREA WILL BE SWOLLEN
• LAMENESS
• INABILITY TO BEAR WEIGHT

DIAGNOSIS

• RADIOGRAPHY

TREATMENT

• REST
• PLATING FOR YOUNG ANIMALS
• CASTING CAN BE USED                     

                                    2.FOOT WOUNDS

OCCUR ON SOLES DUE TO STEPPING ON STONES,NAILS,WIRES&OTHER SHARP OBJECTS

CLINICAL SIGNS

• LAMENESS
• RELUCTANCE TO MOVE
• DISCOMFORT ON PALPATION

DIAGNOSIS

• VISUAL INSPECTION OF SOLE
• SOLE WITH YELLOWISH AND PINKISH COLOURATION

TREATMENT

• KEEP FEET DRY
• VACCINATE AGAINST TETANUS
• REMOVE THE VISIBLE FOREIGN AGENT

                                       3.JOINT LUXATION

CAUSED BY EXTERNAL VIOLENT  FORCE

CLINICAL SIGNS

• ALTERED SHAPE OF AFFECTED JOINT
• INABILITY TO MOVE
• ALTERATION IN AXIS OF LIMB

TREATMENT

• REST
• IN SEVERE CONDITION EUTHANASIA MAY BE REQUIRED

                                   4.FOOT FLY INFECTION

• CAUSED BY NEOCUTEREBRA SQUAMOSA
• THIS MAGGOT FOUND IN SOLE

                                         5.SOLE CRACKS

CRACKS ON HEEL OCCURS WHEN EXPOSED TO WET CONDITION AND POOR HYGIENE

ALSO DUE TO FUNGAL INFECTION

CLINICAL SIGNS

• SEEN AT JUNCTION OF FOOT SKIN AND SOLE ON POSTERIOR EDGE OF FEET
• DISCHARGE FROM CRACKED AREA

TREATMENT

• CLEAN THE AFFECTED AREA WITH ANTISEPTIC SOLUTION
• IN SEVERE CASE ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY IS REQUIRED

                     6.NAIL INFECTION AND ABSCESSS

• INFECTION OF NAIL APPEAR TO BE MORE FREQUENT ON FORE FOOT 
• IT BEGINS BETWEEN SOLE AND NAIL BED.IT IS ALSO KNOWN PODODERMATITIS
• INFECTION DESTROY THE CORNIFIED NAIL TISSUE AT GROUND SURFACE

CLINICAL SIGNS

• NAIL MAY BE CRACKED AND CUTICLE BECOME SWOLLEN RED AND PAINFUL
• LAMENESS
• SWOLLEN LIMB
• GRANULATION OF TISSUE OCCURS
• WHITE FLESHY TISSUE OCCUR IN LONGER INFECTION
• EXUDATE MAY ALSO BE PRESENT

DIAGNOSIS

• RADIOGRAPHY
• SIGNS OF OSTEOMYELITIS OF PHALANGES
• BLACK NAIL VISIBLE ON SOLAR SURFACE OF NAIL
• OOZES OF EXUDATE FROM CUTICLE

TREATMENT

• REMOVE THE NECROTIC MATERIAL AND DRAINING THE ABSCESS
• FLUSH TWICE WITH MILD DISINFECTANT(HYDROGEN PEROXIDE)
• IN CASE OF BLEEDING ASTRINGENT(GENTIAN VIOLET) IS APPLIED

                                  7.NAIL OVERGROWTH

• ELEPHANT TOE NAILS ARE NOT WEIGHT BEARING STRUCTURES
• OVERGROWTH IS ASSCIATED WITH IMPROPER WEAR
• OVER GROWTH OCCUR FREQUENTLY IN MEDIAL AND LATERRAL NAIL THAN CENTRAL NAIL

CLINICAL SIGNS

• NAIL MAY EXTEND AS 12 TO 25 CM
• NAIL MAY GROWN TOGETHER

TREATMENT

• TRIM THE OVER GROWN NAIL WITH HOOF NIPPER
• REGULAR HOOF TRIMMING

          THESE ARE MAJOR PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOOT IN ELEPHANTS.IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO KNOW HOW TO PREVENT THE FOOT DISORDERS OTHERWISE IT WILL LEAD TO SEVERE ECONOMICAL LOSSES.BY PREVENTING THE FOOT DISORDERS THE ECONOMICAL LOSSES CAN BE REDUCED.SO SPECIAL CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN DURING LIFTING WEIGHTS AND ALSO ADEQUATE REST SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE ELEPHANTS TO REDUCE FOOT DISORDERS