| General Description |
In Bears:
- A large, discharging abscess in the lumbosacral area was reported in a seven-year-old,
534 kg, captive Kodiak bear (Ursus
arctos - Brown bear). (J13.44.w1)
- Repeated foot abscesses with associated lameness, in different feet,
were reported in an adult female Ursus maritimus - Polar
bear over a period of several years. (J2.32.w4)
- Recurrent lameness in one leg, with localised swelling and reduced
weight bearing, intermittently responsive to treatment with antibiotics
and an NSAID,
was noted in an adult female Ursus maritimus - Polar
bear. (J2.32.w4)
- Abdominal abscessation is common in bears from bile farms with
"free drip" fistulas, fake "free drip" fistulas,
latex catheter or stainless steel catheter implants. (P3.2006b.w1,
P503.1.w7)
- Foot pad abscesses have been reported in Tremarctos ornatus - Spectacled
bear. (P77.1.w19)
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| Further Information |
Abscesses are common in bears. (J2.32.w4)
Treatment
- Lumbosacral abscess:
- Incision and draining. (J13.44.w1)
- Antibiotics: kanamycin 1.5 g was given intramuscularly twice daily for a week,
followed by tetracycline 3 g orally three times daily for eight days. (J13.44.w1)
- Note: The bear developed an antibiotic-associated colitis eight days after
the treatment with tetracycline was started. (J13.44.w1)
- Foot abscess associated with a penetrating foreign body (piece of
turkey bone) in a Ursus maritimus - Polar
bear. (J2.32.w4)
- Confirmation of the site of the radiodense foreign object by
placement of four needles and development of several radiographs
of the area. (J2.32.w4)
- Routine preparation of the site, a dorsal surgical approach,
sharp and blunt dissection to locate the foreign body and remove
it from the interdigital space. The areas was flushed with copious
quantities of 1:40 chlorhexidine diacetate, and 62.5 mg hetacillin
was infused into the site before closure of the skin with 2-0
polydioxanone in a simple interrupted pattern. (J2.32.w4)
- Cultures (aerobic, anaerobic and fungal) of purulent
material from the interdigital space identified multiple
bacterial species (Escherichia coli, beta-haemolyic Streptococcus
sp., Aeromonas hydrophila, Flavobacterium sp., Fusobacterium
nucleatum, Bacteroides fragilis, Trichosporon
beigeli) and also yeast. (J2.32.w4)
- Systemic antibiotics given at the time of surgery included
procaine penicillin G
6 mg/kg subcutaneously and 5 mg/kg enrofloxacin
intravenously. Additionally, the bear was given 1 mg/kg flunixin meglumine
intramuscularly, 500 mL 2.5% dextrose saline in lactated Ringer's
solution intravenously, and 11.25 IU/kg alpha tocopherol
intramuscularly. (J2.32.w4)
- Post-operatively, the bear was treated with a two-day course of flunixin meglumine
1.0 mg/kg orally once daily, and antibiotics, with an initial
choice of a seven-day course of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole
(30 mg/kg orally once daily) changed on the basis of culture to ampicillin
orally twice daily. (J2.32.w4)
- Abdominal abscessation associated with bile extraction:
- Surgical excision. (P503.1.w7)
- Foot pad abscesses in Tremarctos ornatus - Spectacled
bear.
- Systemic antibiotics [no further details available]. (P77.1.w19)
Prevention
- To minimise the risk that a debilitating abscess will form following
darting, particularly with a powder-charged dart, give antibiotic
cover as for a wound (e.g. procaine penicillin/benzathine penicillin,
give 22,000 IU/kg of the benzathine penicillin G to ensure an
adequate repository effect giving antibiotic cover for 5-7 days,
subcutaneously or into the large muscles of the hind legs, with a
large bore (18 gauge) needle, at no more than 5 mL per injection
site). (B345.4.w4)
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