Effective Therapeutic Approach to Haemorrhagic Cystitis in a Captive Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)

A 35-year-old female Asian elephant from a Hindu temple presented with decreased appetite, anorexia and bloody urination for 10 days, unresponsive to prior treatment. Clinical signs included lethargy, reduced movement and haematuria with clotted blood. Diagnostic evaluation revealed mild leukocytosis, elevated serum creatinine and BUN, proteinuria, red blood cells and leukocytes in urine, with calcium oxalate crystalluria and bacterial presence. Urine culture confirmed Staphylococcus spp. sensitive to enrofloxacin making it a suitable treatment option. The animal was treated with intravenous enrofloxacin, flunixine meglumine and fluids were given for hydration. Uneventful recovery was noticed after 21 days of continuous clinical care of the elephant. This study revealed successful therapeutic management of haemorrhagic cystitis in an Asian elephant. This therapeutic approach should be explored more extensively in similar cases and across different animal species, given the scarcity of research in this area.