Skeletal pathology and variable anatomy in elephant feet assessed using computed tomography

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Radiology
• Elephant Anatomy
• Comparative Pathology

Background:

• Foot problems significantly impact elephant health and survival.
• Diagnosis is challenging, especially for internal bone and soft tissue conditions.
• Underreporting of elephant foot conditions is common due to diagnostic difficulties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate post-mortem computed tomographic (CT) scans of elephant feet.
• To describe pathologies and anatomical variants that may be misdiagnosed.
• To identify common foot conditions in African and Asian elephants.

Main Methods:

• Post-mortem CT scans of 52 feet from 21 elephants (African and Asian).
• Analysis of bone remodeling, enthesopathy, osseous cyst-like lesions, osteoarthritis, and other pathologies.
• Assessment of phalangeal and sesamoid bone anatomy, including variants.

Main Results:

• All studied elephants exhibited some form of foot pathology.
• Common findings included bone remodeling, enthesopathy, osseous cyst-like lesions, and osteoarthritis.
• Age correlated with remodeling and osteoarthritis; Asian elephants showed more enthesopathy; females had more cyst-like lesions.
• Anatomical variants like multipartite or misshapen phalanges and variable sesamoid ossification were noted.

Conclusions:

• Elephant foot pathology is prevalent, often involving multiple conditions.
• Pathology is concentrated in weight-bearing digits.
• Regular examination and radiography are crucial for monitoring elephant foot health and welfare.