Retained Fetal Membranes In An African Elephant (Loxodanta Africana)

Abstract

A 30 year old, nulliparous female African elephant gave birth to a stillborn, full term male calf. The cow had developed an elevated white blood cell count five weeks prior to parturition, however labor and parturition were without complications for the cow. The calf was stillborn with thoracic limb arthrogryposis, renal agenesis, and evidence of fetal stress prior to parturition. Fetal membranes were observed protruding from the vulva within 24 hours of birth, but that tissue did not pass spontaneously. Gentle manual extraction six days after parturition removed the protruding material which was determined to be amnion and a portion of the umbilical cord. The cow developed severe ventral abdominal edema and a significant leukocytosis, but remained afebrile with a normal appetite. Signs of labor were noted 86 days after the stillbirth, with the remaining chorioallantois and portion of the umbilical cord being passed spontaneously overnight. Ninety days postpartum, a large mucoid mass was passed. At that point the cow’s ventral edema resolved completely, the white blood cell count returned to within normal limits. Hematology values remained within normal limits over the subsequent six months.