Problems Relating to the Elephant’s Digestive System

Director Dr. Kay describes the conditions of bloat, constipation and diarrhea among elephants. From an interview featured in a clip posted on the Facebook page of Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation on the 17^th of February 2022.

Bloat is a condition in which the elephant cannot release waste. It is a serious condition which could lead to the death of the elephant, if left untreated. An elephant suffering from bloat would display an expansion or an abnormal swollenness in the abdominal area. The elephant would exhibit signs of lethargy. Other signs include a noticeable drop in the trunk. The elephant would also use the trunk to hit the belly, and blow soil or mud or water on the abdominal area. While a lack of appetite can be observed, the elephant would keep opening their mouth as a clear display of discomfort. The elephant would continuously alternate between sitting down and getting up. Some elephants suffering from bloat would experience abdominal pain, to the point of having to lie down. If treatment is not administered as a matter of urgency, the elephant may die.

Causes of bloat among elephants vary. The primary cause would be the mismanagement of the elephant’s diet. The elephant may have also eaten foods with fibers that collect as lumped up roughage along the intestinal system. Since the fibrous material doesn’t pass through, the fibers then build up into a blockage in the intestines. The elephant’s overall health is also a contributing factor to the level of severity observed in the bloat condition.

Bloat occurs among elephants of all ages. The condition could result from the elephant eating too much or eating foods that are not easily digestible. Eating plastic bags, for example, would lead to blockages in the intestinal system.

When the elephant eats fibers and the digestive contents build up along the digestive tract, the digestive system then produces gas. Along with the discomfort and the abdominal swollenness, the elephant also experiences difficulty in breathing, which then leads to a reduction in oxygen exchange and acidosis. Once the different systems no longer function, the elephant may die.

Constipation among elephants is primarily caused by foods that are especially high in fiber. Examples include coconut tree parts and bananas plants that haven’t been chopped up into suitable sizes. The fibers then build up into tangled lumps in the digestive system, resulting in dung with a texture that is too solid, making the dung difficult to pass through.

An elephant suffering from constipation would exhibit lethargy, discomfort, and lack of appetite, refusing both food and water. The elephant would try to push the dung through, and alternate between sitting down and getting up.

Bloat and constipation among elephants may occur throughout all the seasons, even though these conditions are more typically observed during the cool season when elephants tend to drink less water. Some elephants don’t drink water at all when it is cold, which then leads to bloat and constipation. Elderly elephants are of an age range in which problems in digestion are more commonly observed.       

For elephants suffering from bloat, there is a collection of gas in the digestive system. The abdominal area would exhibit swollenness, which is a noticeable expansion. But for elephants suffering from constipation, there is no collection of gas. The conjoining area between the hip and the abdominal area is visible, and the outward appearance would be no different from the normal state. The commonality between bloat and constipation is that the elephant suffering from either one would not release dung.

Elephants suffering from constipation are administered with the same method of treatment as elephants suffering from bloat. Foods normally given would have to be temporarily withdrawn from their diet. Instead, the elephant must be fed tamarind mixed with salt. Medications which aid in digestion must also be administered, as well as medications which help to reduce gas. In cases of elephants that are suffering from dehydration, fluids must be administered through the blood vessels.

If there is discomfort as could be observed in the elephant’s behaviour of alternating between sitting down and getting up, medications must be administered to help reduce aches and pains in the abdominal area. Enema must also be administered through the injection of warm water to help the elephant accomplish relief and for the clearing of as much blockage as possible from the intestinal system. The elephant should also be taken out on walks, as this form of exercise would help to generate movement through the digestive system.

Diarrhea is a condition characterised by loose, watery and more-frequent bowel movements. Diarrhea among elephants falls into two categories: with infection and without infection.

Diarrhea without infection is primarily caused by stress. When an elephant enters a state of panic, they will then release dung with a watery texture. An example of a set of circumstances that could give rise to such a state of panic would be the use of control measures to get the elephant loaded onto a truck. Another example of a stressful condition would be tethering the elephant to a post located near another elephant that is unfamiliar. Loud noises which occur suddenly, such as firecrackers, explosives and noises made by trucks, could also set the elephant into a state of panic, thus causing diarrhea. The condition of releasing watery or semi-watery dung would go away once the normal state of things resumes among the elephant’s surroundings, and the elephant calms down.

Diarrhea could also be caused by the elephant eating too much of certain foods while diversification in other forms of nutrition is limited. Examples of foods that could cause diarrhea through repeated feeding at any given point in time include tamarind, foods which contains seeds, and ripe bananas.

When the elephant’s body is working to release parasites from the system, the dung will come out in a watery texture. In order to clear the system, the elephant will eat soil, tree bark and roots. The condition of diarrhea, brought about by stress and loud noises, will generally last two to three days.

Diarrhea with infection is caused by bacteria, viruses, and protozoa.

In the treatment of diarrhea among elephants, antibiotics are administered. Fluids are also administered to help prevent the state of shock which could otherwise potentially arise from loss of fluids.

Treatment must be administered according to the specific conditions exhibited by the elephant. For example, if the elephant is suffering from abdominal discomfort, then pain relief is administered. Vitamins to nourish the body are administered. And in the case of elephants displaying a reduced appetite or lack of appetite, vitamins to help improve the elephant’s appetite are administered.