两例亚洲象肠臌气的诊治

Two Cases of Diagnosis and Treatment for Intestinal Tympany of Asian Elephants

亚洲象(Elephas maximus)为单胃食草动物,大肠内发酵在其消化中有重要作用。肠臌气是过量进食或消化不良等原因导致食物在肠道内滞留,持续发酵产生过量气体引起。报道2例亚洲象肠臌气救治过程,1头成年亚洲象短时间大量食入高糖分食物,以及1头处于哺乳期的幼象食山羊乳消化不良分别引发肠臌气。成年象表现为排便困难、腹围增大和拒食,血常规与血液生化结果显示已引起细菌感染和心脏负担,经引导行走、促胃肠蠕动和抗菌等治疗,效果不佳。幼象表现为稀便和腹围增大,口服促胃肠蠕动及益生菌药物,效果不佳。为遏止腹部鼓胀持续加剧导致严重后果,采用套管针进行后肠穿刺放气。腹腔减压后,2头患象病情均好转,最终痊愈。研究结果可为亚洲象肠臌气的诊治,特别是穿刺治疗操作提供参考。

The Asian elephants(Elephas maximus)is a monogastric herbivore.Fermentation in the large intestine plays an important role in digestion.Intestinal tympany is caused by overeating or indigestion,food staying in the intestine,and excessive gas produced by continuous fermentation.In this article,one adult Asian elephant suffered from intestinal tym⁃pany due to eating too much in a short time and ingestion of large amount of high-sugar food,and one lactating young el⁃ephant suffered from indigestion of goat milk.The adult elephant showed difficulty in defecating,enlarged abdominal cir⁃cumference,and refusal to eat.Complete blood count and blood biochemical test showed that bacterial infection and heart burden had been induced by intestinal tympany.The treatment was unsatisfactory after guided walking,promoting gastroin⁃testinal peristalsis and antibiosis.In order to prevent the continued abdominal distension that would result in serious conse⁃quences,a trocar was passed into the epigaster to release trapped gas.After decompressing the abdominal,both patients were in recovery,and eventually cured.This article provides a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of intestinal tym⁃pany in Asian elephants,especially for the rarely reported puncture treatment of Asian elephants.