Circumferential Periauricular Necrosis with Partial Ear Sloughing in a Captive Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus): A Case Report
M. Veeraselvam
*
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary College and Research Institute, TANUVAS, Orathanadu, India.
P. Selvaraj
Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, Madras Veterinary College, TANUVAS, Vepery, Chennai, India.
S. Yogeshpriya
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary College and Research Institute, TANUVAS, Orathanadu, India.
S. Senthil Kumar
Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology, Veterinary College and Research Institute, TANUVAS, Thalaivasal, Salem, India.
M. Venkatesan
Veterinary Clinical Complex, Veterinary College and Research Institute, TANUVAS, Salem, India.
K. Jayalakshmi
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary College and Research Institute, TANUVAS, Orathanadu, India.
R. Jyothi Priya
Department of Veterinary Pathology, Veterinary College and Research Institute, TANUVAS, Orathanadu, India.
E. Tamileniyan
Veterinary College and Research Institute, Orathanadu, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Periauricular necrosis and sloughing of the ear in elephants are rare but serious clinical conditions, most often associated with vascular compromise following intravenous drug administration. This case report describes the clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, medical management, and outcome of circumferential periauricular necrosis in a 10-year-old captive female Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). The animal was presented with anorexia and subsequently developed impaired ear flapping, peripheral ear dryness, and a septic wound on the caudal aspect of the left pinna. Clinical examination revealed circumferential dry necrosis of the ear with loss of sensation and absence of bleeding on needle puncture. Doppler ultrasonography confirmed a lack of blood flow to the affected peripheral region, while electrocardiography showed no systemic abnormalities. Histopathological examination demonstrated epithelial loss, fibrous tissue proliferation, and marked avascularity, consistent with ischemic necrosis. Conservative medical management, including systemic antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory therapy, resulted in spontaneous sloughing of the necrotic ear tissue by Day 7, followed by healthy granulation and early epithelialization by Day 15. The lesion was presumed to be of iatrogenic origin, likely secondary to auricular vascular injury following intravenous injection. This report underscores the susceptibility of the elephant ear to vascular compromise, highlights the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate management, and emphasizes the need for meticulous intravenous administration techniques to prevent such debilitating complications in captive elephants.
Keywords: Asian elephant, periauricular necrosis, ear sloughing, auricular thrombosis, intravenous injection, case report