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Fatal bacterial septicaemia after immobilisation of a captive brown bear ( Ursus arctos )
Author(s) -
Schlohsarczyk Elfi Katrin,
Schmidt Nadine,
PrengerBerninghoff Ellen,
Herkommer Leonie Franziska,
Henrich Manfred
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
veterinary record case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.165
H-Index - 4
ISSN - 2052-6121
DOI - 10.1136/vetreccr-2020-001321
Subject(s) - medicine , ursus , lymph , mesenteric lymph nodes , osteomyelitis , pathology , lameness , clostridium septicum , spleen , surgery , physiology , population , environmental health
A four‐year‐old female brown bear ( Ursus arctos ) was immobilised via blowpipe targeting the right hind limb to perform a chemical contraception. Few days after anaesthesia, the animal developed lameness and a reduced general condition, and died 1 week after immobilisation when alopecia and swelling of the injection area were observed for the first time. Besides a severe azotaemia, alopecia and reddening of the craniomedial skin, subcutis and skeletal muscles of the entire right hind limb showed a phlegmon, oedema and haemorrhage. Additional widespread haemorrhages were found. Histology revealed a suppurative and necrohaemorrhagic myositis of the affected limb, a suppurative iliofemoral lymphadenitis, blood resorption in the mesenteric lymph nodes and haemorrhage in the adrenal gland cortex. Microbiological investigation revealed high amounts of Escherichia coli , Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Clostridium septicum in skin, musculature, heart, lung, liver and spleen, indicating septicaemia, which led to death due to toxaemic shock.