An 18-yr-old female Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) presented with acute-onset severe lethargy, bloody vaginal discharge, decreased appetite, and an abnormal posture. The gorilla was diagnosed with a ruptured cecal blind sac with severe adhesions to the right ovary. A typhlectomy and unilateral ovariectomy were performed. Histologic examination identified a severe transmural circumferential typhlitis with rupture and adhesions to the infundibulum and chronic typhlitis. Postoperative management included antibiotics, analgesics, short-term dietary modifications, and probiotics for suspect oral candidiasis. The gorilla made a full clinical recovery and was pregnant within 1 yr of surgery. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case of successful management of typhlitis in a gorilla. Typhlitis and intestinal rupture should be considered as a differential diagnosis for acute onset severe abdominal pain in gorillas.
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1 June 2017
SUCCESSFUL MANAGEMENT OF CECAL PERFORATION AND FOCAL PERITONITIS IN A GORILLA (GORILLA GORILLA GORILLA)
Sarah R. Therio,
Liza I. Dadone,
Michael M. Garner,
Jason Arble,
Charles J. Lalonde,
Thomas J. Baesl,
Mindy Siegel,
John A. Marta,
Dirk P. Pikaart,
Matthew S. Johnston
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Appendectomy
appendicitis
gorilla
typhlectomy
typhlitis
