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Ali Tusk Procedure
By Dr. Meredith E. Persky, Dipl. ACZM Veterinarian, Board Certified Specialist in Zoological MedicineTM
Ali, our 33-year-old bull elephant was examined in March by esteemed colleagues from South Africa under general anesthesia for having an infected tusk or "bad tooth." Ali was kept safely asleep for nearly five hours as the specialized root canal was performed by Dr. Gerhard Steenkamp. Dr. Adrian Tordiffe led the anesthetic part of the procedure with the assistance of local veterinary anesthesiologist, Dr. James Bailey, and our zoo’s veterinary team. Under the skilled guidance of Corey Neatrour, Assistant Curator of Mammals, the elephant care specialists worked alongside Ali for many months to ensure our 11,000-pound patient would be properly positioned for the procedure. Like the elephant crew, our animal health team had been coordinating the anesthetic part of the examination since 2022. Sarah Block, our most senior veterinary technician, oversaw the ordering of the equipment and medical supplies needed for such a large patient. Since general anesthesia is not commonly performed in adult elephants, we invited colleagues from many facilities to participate in this monumental procedure. The combined medical teams placed several IV catheters which delivered 132 liters of IV fluids. Ali also had an endotracheal tube placed in his trachea, or windpipe, to ensure his lungs were properly oxygenated while he was lying on his side. A team of nearly 30 people closely monitored his vital signs, and an additional 30-plus members from animal programs, animal nutrition, horticulture, facilities, and more participated in many essential roles throughout the procedure.
Since Ali needed to lie down for such a long period of time, he required the assistance of a crane to help him up to his feet. While this was a high-stress situation, we had planned for all scenarios and were able to safely assist him to ensure a successful recovery. After the procedure, Ali continued taking pain medications and has been eating well. We are grateful to our elephant care specialists, the animal health and nutrition team, the leadership team, the executive board, and the entire zoo crew for coming together flawlessly for such a “huge” procedure. Most of all, a big thanks to Ali for being one of the most magnificent and cooperative animals with whom I have ever worked. This was the epitome of teamwork. Thank you for supporting the zoo to provide the “ivory tower” of medicine and care for our animals.
