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Injured Zebra at Amboseli National Park, 19 July 2014
Case History A male injured zebra was spotted by the veterinary team while on a patrol/animal census exercise. The veterinary team immediately made a decision to immobilize, examine and the zebra.
Immobilisation The zebra was immobilized using 7 mgs Etorphine Hydrochloride and 60 mg azerperone in a 3cc dart toped up using water for injection. Darting from a vehicle was done using Dan-inject system. Full immobilization took place after 5 minutes and he fell on lateral recumbence. The zebra was blind folded and opticlox applied to the eyes to avoid damage. Examination and Treatment On physical examination the zebra had a deep and long sharp edged cut on the flank region which could have been caused by a predators attack. The wound was septic, about 75 cm long and gaped. The wound was thoroughly cleaned using clean water, hydrogen peroxide and normal saline for rinsing. There was lots of pus and necrotic tissue in the wound. The dead tissue was debrided and removed. It was then lavaged using tincture of Iodine. Topical antibiotic cream and green clay was then applied into the wound to facilitate healing and avoid infection. The zebra was then injected with 50 ml Betamox L.A and 100 ml Dexamethasone at different sites intramuscularly. The entire operation lasted about 20 minutes.
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