Surgical Management of Left-Hand Traumatic Injury in an Adult Female Captive Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes): A Case Report

Abstract

Captive chimpanzees are reported to present a higher frequency of injuries compared to those obtained in the wild due to their intraspecific aggression. Wounds are inescapable events in life following physical, chemical, thermal, microbial, or immunological insult to a body tissue, resulting in disruptions, breakage and loss of cellular and anatomical or functional continuity of living tissues or organs. The attention of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Jos was drawn to an injured adult female chimpanzee at the Jos Zoo. History revealed that the wound was the result of aggression from a counterpart chimpanzee. History reveals also that the wound was managed for 1 month before presentation with no significant improvement. Close examination revealed degloved left index and ring digits with pussy discharges. Assessment of the wound was undertaken after chemical immobilization and the resulting defects were reconstructed following proper aseptic surgical preparation utilizing chlorhexidine gluconate (Purit®) and amputation of the non-viable segments of the affected digits. Postoperatively, daily cleaning and administration of oxytetracycline spray (topical), doxycycline capsules 5 mg/kg ϰ1/52 PO and Dolometa B® ϰ5/7 PO were instituted. This case demonstrated the important role of prompt and thorough clinical evaluation in the adoption of management options, especially in wildlife management.