Autopsy called after death of popular old elephant affectionately called "Granny Kate"

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Vets were called after a popular old elephant known as "Yai Kate" or Granny Kate collapsed in the Ang Rue Nai wildlife sanctuary in Chachoengsao province, reported Thai PBS.

 

When Matchamon Kaewpareuhatchai arrived the 60 year old was still alive but was having difficulty breathing.

 

Kate had a badly distended stomach on both sides and the vets tried to move her to enable better breathing but she soon died at 3.26 pm yesterday.

 

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A blood sample was taken and an autopsy was ordered. 

 

The media had a picture of two monks with holy string apparently carrying out a religious rite. 

 

They reported that local people had been looking after Yai Kate in recent years because she was unable to fend for herself in the wild. She was blind in one eye.

 

They would take it in turns to feed her with fruit like bananas, papaya, jackfruit as well as sugar cane. 

 

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[Etaoin Shrdlu]

I think "autopsy" is usually reserved for humans. "Necropsy" is the term used for animals, even elephants.

[internationalism]

60 years old is not that much for an elephant. They live as long as humans.

I know that for all captive ellies necropsy has to be carried out if they die not from age. All papers filled, send to the ministry. And buried in presence of police, health authorities.

This one was wild, but not that old.

Ellies can suffer much stranger than humans from pesticides. They really need an organic food. They need to eat daily some 5% of their body weight and digest only in 40% - so all chemicals destroy their liver and burden kidneys.

Elephants kill each other - in wild, as well as in captivity. They are not as docile as they look.

They might succumb to injuries months after injury. 

For vet it's difficult to examine properly such a big animal, no xray, ultrasound and the other medical tools.

[Troy Tempest]

"60 years old is not that much for an elephant. They live as long as humans."

 

Asian elephants probably live much longer than most Thai humans (at least in Thailand) who tend to die very young from motorbike accidents, car accidents, drowning, murder, suicide or if they are lucky they might make it past 50 or so if they don't die of Diabtetes or Covid (or both)? .......From what I read every day! 

[Liverpool Lou]

18 minutes ago, internationalism said:

it's difficult to examine properly such a big animal, no xray, ultrasound and the other medical tools.

Both are available for use on large animals, including elephants. 

[RichardColeman]

10 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Both are available for use on large animals, including elephants. 

Yes, but how do you get the collapsed elephant to them ? fork lift and pick up ? 

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

I think "autopsy" is usually reserved for humans. "Necropsy" is the term used for animals, even elephants.

I think that it's so important to point out that differentiation that makes no difference whatsoever to the process.

[Liverpool Lou]

6 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

16 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Both are available for use on large animals, including elephants. 

Yes, but how do you get the collapsed elephant to them ? fork lift and pick up ? 

Ambulance.

[kokopelli]

Average age of death for an Asian elephant is 48 yo. Average age of death for Thai person is 77 yo.

[RobU]

3 hours ago, internationalism said:

60 years old is not that much for an elephant. They live as long as humans.

I know that for all captive ellies necropsy has to be carried out if they die not from age. All papers filled, send to the ministry. And buried in presence of police, health authorities.

This one was wild, but not that old.

Ellies can suffer much stranger than humans from pesticides. They really need an organic food. They need to eat daily some 5% of their body weight and digest only in 40% - so all chemicals destroy their liver and burden kidneys.

Elephants kill each other - in wild, as well as in captivity. They are not as docile as they look.

They might succumb to injuries months after injury. 

For vet it's difficult to examine properly such a big animal, no xray, ultrasound and the other medical tools.

According to the internet (which I agree can be wrong) they can live up to 70 years or more in protected environments such as this reserve but only 48 years in the wild. Sadly even less in captivity such as zoos, apparently because their mental health deteriorates. It's good to hear of the villagers looking after them rather than persecuting them as has been reported on this forum recently.

[internationalism]

On 3/19/2022 at 2:05 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

Both are available for use on large animals, including elephants. 

I was told by the kraal owner in kanchanaburi, just a few km from the mahidol university vetirinary campus in kanchanaburi sai yok, that they didn't have any equipment to examine her prime elephant worth some $30k which was dying from internal injuries inflicted by a raging bull during attempted mating.

multiple blood and all other checks didn't detect any infection, even it was obvious she was not well, no appetite and lethargic. She died several months later and only necropsy revealed extend of damage, all tissues rotten.

 

At the same kraal some elephant granny died at 72 from suspected single scorpion bite to her leg.

 

[Liverpool Lou]

28 minutes ago, internationalism said:

On 3/19/2022 at 2:05 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

Both are available for use on large animals, including elephants. 

I was told by the kraal owner in kanchanaburi, just a few km from the mahidol university vetirinary campus in kanchanaburi sai yok, that they didn't have any equipment to examine her prime elephant

Maybe they didn't have the equipment but that doesn't mean that it's not available as you claimed.