How India’s first elephant hospital works

This dedicated medical center was created by Wildlife SOS Animal Protection Group, a non-profit organization founded in 1995 dedicated to saving wild animals across India. The organization is engaged in saving not only elephants, but also other animals, over the years they have saved many bears, leopards and turtles. Since 2008, the non-profit organization has already rescued 26 elephants from the most heartbreaking conditions. These animals are commonly confiscated from violent tourist entertainment owners and private owners. 

About the hospital

When confiscated animals are first brought to the hospital, they undergo a thorough medical examination. Most of the animals are in very poor physical condition due to years of abuse and malnutrition, and their bodies are very sagging. With this in mind, the Wildlife SOS Elephant Hospital was specifically designed to treat injured, sick and aging elephants.

For the best patient care, the hospital has wireless digital radiology, ultrasound, laser therapy, its own pathology laboratory, and a medical lift to comfortably lift disabled elephants and move them around the treatment area. For regular checkups as well as special treatments, there is also a huge digital scale and a hydrotherapy pool. Since certain medical procedures and procedures require night observation, the hospital is equipped with special rooms for this purpose with infrared cameras for veterinarians to observe elephant patients.

About patients

One of the hospital’s current patients is an adorable elephant named Holly. It was confiscated from a private owner. Holly is completely blind in both eyes, and when she was rescued, her body was covered in chronic, untreated abscesses. After being forced to walk on hot tar roads for many years, Holly developed a foot infection that went untreated for a long time. After so many years of malnutrition, she also developed inflammation and arthritis in her hind legs.

The veterinary team is now treating her arthritis with cold laser therapy. Veterinarians also tend to her abscessing wounds daily so they can heal completely, and she is now regularly treated with special antibiotic ointments to prevent infection. Holly gets proper nutrition with lots of fruits – she especially likes bananas and papaya.

Now the rescued elephants are in the caring hands of Wildlife SOS specialists. These precious animals have endured untold pain, but that is all in the past. Finally, in this specialized medical center, elephants can receive proper treatment and rehabilitation, as well as lifelong care.

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