Case report
Tusk fracture and sulcus trauma (Asian elephant)
Place: Planckendael Zoo
​
Date: 2016
​
Data provided by: Francis Vercammen DVM
History
6 yrs-old female Asian elephant with mucosal damage due to the sharp edges of the distal part of a fractured tush. Note the swollen sulcus mucosa. The pulp tissue was not exposed
Treatment
As the pulp tissue was not exposed, treatment was limited to grinding sharp edges away using a round-topped milling cutter on a hand-held drill (Dremel). The sulcus was flushed 3 times per day with a mild antiseptic solution (Iso-Betadine Gynecology)
Treatment results
The sulcus healed and the tusk continued to grow.
Tusk fracture and sulcus trauma (Asian elephant)
Date: 2020
​
​
History
A 30 mo-old Asian elephant kept in a zoo fractured its right tusk. The pulp cavity was not exposed, but the sharp edges of the tusk remnant caused wounds on the sulcus mucosa.
The sharp edges of the fractured tusk are often the cause trauma to the sulcus mucosa, resulting in a prulent infection.
The sharp edges of the fractured tusk have caused a purulent infection of the sulcus.
Treatment
A conservative treatment was elected, consisting of flushing the wound several times per day with a saline solution and a 10% Betadine solution.
Treatment result
Within 3 months the tusk had grown out of the sulcus again and the wounds had healed completely.
