Elephants Go To The Podiatrist
The health of the elephant’s feet improves in its natural habitat. There they have a good substrate to support each step when walking through marshy areas, natural pastures and wooded areas. They even use their feet to feed, plucking weeds with their fingers, which helps control overgrowth of the skin and cuticles. For this reason, when in captivity, elephants go to a podiatrist to maintain proper foot health.
Elephants go to the podiatrist
It is very difficult to achieve the ideal conditions for a captive elephant. Unless the person responsible for the facilities is aware of the importance of the good condition of their animals’ extremities and then manages them in their favor.
routine care
To create a good pedicure program, it is necessary to have qualified staff, the right tools, and the time and proper facilities to do so.
Thus, elephants’ feet must be inspected and cleaned every day. The plant must be brushed, and it must be ensured that there are no foreign bodies in any of its fissures. A thorough cleaning should also be done between the fingers and under the nails, looking for any unwanted odor or substance.
Some of these practices may require the use of sedation to allow the animal to be handled. And to avoid any future reluctance, if any of the manipulations mentioned involves pain, an analgesic must be previously administered.
Common Pathologies Affecting the Skin of the Feet
- Hyperkeratosis. Continued irritation of the skin leads to this thickening. In particular, it appears on pads and the circumference of the foot, which can cause infections and pododermatitis. Therefore, the corns are sanded and must remain clean and hydrated.
- Abrasion of the plant, which causes it to thin to the point of injury. It usually happens due to problems with walking. Treatment usually includes bandages and mechanisms that prevent the limb from being supported until the wound is healed.
- Foot-and-mouth disease : the temperature of the feet will rise and the skin will appear thin and inflamed. Usually, the pain is so much that the animal chooses not to stand up so as not to support its paws. In that case, it will be necessary to treat the virus at a general level.
- Smallpox : the soles of the foot and the nails become necrotic and may even fall off.
- Pododermatitis : ranges from the appearance of an abscess to a generalized foot infection. It affects nails, skin, muscles and bones, causing major complications. It must be treated by bathing in disinfectant and antibiotic solutions.
Common Pathologies Affecting Toenails
- Excessive growth : if the substrate on which the elephant walks is not adequate, the nails do not wear out as they should and a periodic pedicure is necessary.
- Cracks : especially if it penetrates deeply into the nail, they cause great discomfort to the animal. In these more severe cases, the area will have to be anesthetized and then sanded until it disappears.
- Onychia : is usually the result of poor nail hygiene, which facilitates the growth of bacteria and fungi. The nail should be covered with a dressing soaked in disinfectant and changed periodically.
- Cuticle overgrowth.
Elephants no longer go to the podiatrist: prevention
The prevention of limb problems for an animal the size of an elephant is related to its diet. It is necessary to be very aware of the caloric contribution of a captive elephant’s diet, as the exercise it does is limited and being overweight brings many of the problems we mentioned.
