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Asian elephant survives Ebola-like virus
Tarli with Woburn’s head elephant keeper Darren Fellowes.

Vets treat three-year-old Tarli for Endotheliotropic herpes virus

An Asian elephant has beaten the odds to survive an Ebola-like virus which is fatal in 80 per cent of recorded cases.

Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) is a highly fatal disease that weakens the circulatory system in young elephants leading to rapid deterioration.

In November 2017, keepers at Woburn Safari Park carried out a routine blood test on three-year-old Tarli, which revealed that she had EEHV infection. Although she did not have any clinical signs, vets began treatment immediately to give her the best chance of survival.

Treatment for EEHV is mostly supportive, focussing on maintaining bodily function while the immune system fights the disease. A two-week course of antiviral and transfusions was combined with 24-hour supervision from keepers who had cared for Tarli since she was born.

“EEHV is an awful virus, targeting the youngest members of the herd. As keepers we spend more time with our animals than our families and all of us are so relieved at how positively Tarli has responded to treatment,” said Darren Fellowes, Woburn’s head elephant keeper.

The keepers focussed on keeping Tarli calm so that she could remain with the rest of the herd and keep to her usual routine. In a press release, Woburn Safari Park said that the use of intravenous ganciclovir and plasma has had a successful outcome and ‘opens the door to offering alternative treatment protocols’.

It has now been six weeks since Tarli received the all-clear. However, there is still a chance of relapse. The team are cautiously celebrating her recovery whilst they continue to monitor her closely.

Woburn Safari Park raises money for International Elephant Foundation which invests in elephant conservation and research, including for an EEHV vaccine.

“EEHV is the most serious medical threat to the survival of Asian elephant calves. Every case builds on the experience of others, and the body of research around earlier cases allowed us to create an effective treatment programme for Tarli, and ultimately saved her life,” explained specialist vet Nathalie Wissink-Argilaga who led Tarli’s treatment.

“Details of Tarli’s recovery are being shared with the international veterinary community and we hope to share lessons on the value of swift treatment, stress-reduction, continuous monitoring of viral loads and blood parameters and intravenous administration of antivirals and plasma.” 

Image (C) Woburn Safari Park

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.