Provide Emergency Care for Lucky the Elephant

On February 12, 2015, Lucky our female elephant at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center became sluggish and went off her food. We treated her, but she only got worse. She was finally diagnosed with elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV), a virus that can cause a highly fatal hemorrhagic disease in Asian elephants. There are over a dozen strains of EEHV, and this virus is still not well understood by scientists. However, since the first sign of illness, the keepers and vets at the Center have done everything they can to provide her with physical and emotional support. An expert on the disease from Thailand was flown in with medication that was not available in Cambodia. The antiviral medication alone was $7,000, and her illness required two rounds of treatment - a small price to pay for the well-being of this Endangered animal, but a large expense nonetheless. The extreme steps taken seemed to have helped, and we began to see signs of improvement. 

Unfortunately, after contracting EEHV, the virus compromised her immune system and she began battling other infections as well. She continued to fight for her life and the staff and vets also refused to give up and continued to provide her with round-the-clock care. These incredible individuals donated their spare time, leaving their lives and families to sleep at the Center and make sure she was as comfortable as possible. 

Lucky’s physical symptoms went, but she did not recover. We conducted more tests, which came back positive for Klebsiella pneumonia, another potentially fatal disease. Her mouth and tongue swelled up again, although the swelling was different this time, and Dr Khajohnpat Boonprasert from Thailand suggested Foot and Mouth disease, which is prevalent in Cambodia. We changed medicines and Lucky responded, only to fall sick again a few days later. Lucky’s main keeper Sitheng and I slept in hammocks every night at the elephant enclosures, getting up through the night to try to encourage her to eat or to make her stand if we felt she had been lying down for too long. Wildlife Alliance vets Oung Chenda and Sray Loeung and Forestry Administration vet Mr. San slept close by in the vet clinic in case they were needed. At 4:30 every morning we would administer the essential intravenous fluids and medicines that were keeping her alive. Lucky was so weak, but she fought us furiously.

The days were spent changing empty bottles of fluid for full ones containing medicine. The keepers stayed with Lucky, making sure she did not interfere with the connecting tubes. I would help them and then leave for Phnom Penh to buy more medicines and food – Lucky might eat something once and then decide she did not like it. The idea was to tempt her into eating by offering all sorts of different delicacies she might like. Sometimes this worked and sometimes it did not. At times we thought we were winning the battle and at times we knew we were not. My job was largely to make sure that we had everything we needed to care for Lucky and also to look after the guys and ensure their morale remained as high as possible under the circumstances. When Lucky seemed to improve our mood immediately lightened. When things looked grim so did we. 

Lucky was eating less and less and getting weaker and weaker. Every morning I felt I would see her on the floor, unable to stand up. Sitheng was feeling the same and on March 29th we made a stretcher to support her for the time this happened. 

One day, I took Sitheng aside and we spoke about the time Lucky will be too weak to stand. Sitheng said that if it got to this stage the situation would be hopeless. I agreed and said that perhaps in such a case it might be kinder to let her go. Sitheng disagreed, saying we must do everything we can for Lucky. He brushed away a single tear and smiled – Sitheng had raised the elephant from a tiny-orphaned calf and he loves her as much as his own children. I took myself away and did the same. 

Over the next couple of days Lucky seemed to get a little better. We had taken her off the medicines as tests were all coming back negative, but she was still up and down, with the general trend in a downward direction. With recommendations from vets from Austrailia and England, we decided that her own body might be attacking her immune system.

Our vet Chenda suggested we start her on a course of the corticosteroid, Methylprednisalone, which is what we did. Gradually Lucky started eating a little more and she even seemed happier. She began enjoying her walks in the forest in the early mornings and evenings. Although we still have our concerns, she is eating well and is putting on weight at last. We started very gradually reducing the cortico-steroids she is on and initially there was no problem. However fluid retention below her abdomen and on her front legs became apparent and we thought it wise to increase the steroids again. Her ears also became infected due to the struggles she put up when we administered intra-venous fluids and we have had to cut away a little of each ear. I guess this mars her beauty slightly, but we see it as a small price to pay when we consider how close to death she was. I still have my concerns and to me she is still not the Lucky we used to know and love, but she is eating well, has put on weight and there is a smile on her face once again.

We would like to thank you for your incredible support and donations. Her illness has cost the Center over $40,000 in medical bills, and while we were unable to reach our goal, we hope to continue to raise funds for treatment until the end of year. You can continue to support Lucky by making a donation to our Care for Rescued Wildlife project and mentioning Lucky in your donation. Make a gift this Bonus Day to make your gift go even further!