Conservative management of pyothorax in an Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica).

Therapy for pyothorax, or pleural empyema, has not been described for large felids. This case describes the successful treatment of pyothorax in a captive, large felid. A 15-yr-old multiparous, female Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) presented with nonspecific clinical signs caused by an insidious onset of pyothorax. Management of pyothorax cases in companion animals often involves thoracostomy tube placement with recurrent drainage of the pleural cavity, intensive supportive care, and monitoring. In this case, conservative management was elected because hospitalization was not a viable option. Thoracocentesis was performed to drain as much fluid from the chest cavity as possible, yielding more than 1.3 L. Corynebacterium sp. and unidentified anaerobic gram-positive cocci were cultured. Treatment included cefovecin subcutaneously, oral antibiotic therapy with clindamycin and marbofloxacin, meloxicam, and restricted exercise by minimizing access to the main exhibit. Significant improvement was noted clinically and radiographically 6 wk later, and no relapses were noted in the following weeks. An examination 11.5 mo later confirmed resolution.

Diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) presented to a wildlife clinic in Tennessee, USA, 1995-2007.

We performed a retrospective review of medical records for 574 eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) that presented to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM) wildlife clinic between 1995 and 2007. These cases were reviewed to document and investigate the presenting complaints, as identified by a good Samaritan, final diagnoses, treatment modalities, days in hospital, and final disposition. Presenting complaints were consistent with the final diagnoses in 81% of cases. Trauma was both the most common presentation and final diagnosis. Associations between final diagnosis and either environmental temperature or precipitation were not significant (P>0.05). However, precipitation had a statistically significant positive association (P<0.05) with aural abscessation. Approximately 5% (28/574) of the box turtles were evaluated for packed cell volume total protein and white blood cell count. No differences were observed between sick and healthy animals for any of these variables. Multiple treatment modalities were used in these cases and were often used in combination, rather than as individual therapies. The number of days spent in the hospital ranged from 0 to 66 days, with a median of 2 days. The wildlife clinic of UTCVM should continue to evaluate the health status of eastern box turtles. Our findings indicate that the high caseload, as well as case variety of eastern box turtles in eastern Tennessee, suggests potential use as a biomonitor for this species.