@thewildlifevettx: I got called out to work on this young eland calf after she injured one of her horns. She had broken her horn sheath (aka horn cap) off, which is the outer covering of the horn. The broken portion was hanging loose, and there was significant inflammation. I was concerned about the possibility of infection. First, I needed to catch her. I darted her to sedate her, but eland have a tendency to keep walking or jogging after being darted. You have to be prepared for that, and this girl was no exception. She continued jogging, and we eventually caught up with her about 300–400 yards from the herd. I got out of the truck to keep her from heading toward the water behind me, while Wes moved in front of her to help guide her down. When an animal is heavily sedated, it may be ready to lie down but still need a little assistance getting there safely. Once we had her secured, I went to work examining her horn. It looked pretty rough, but fortunately, I didn’t find any obvious evidence of infection. I removed the remaining portion of the damaged horn, controlled the bl**ding, and treated the area. I also administered medications to help manage discomfort and reduce the risk of infection. Fortunately, these injuries often heal very well once the damaged portion has been removed and the underlying tissue is properly treated. After finishing, I administered the reversal medications, and she was soon back on her feet and heading toward the herd! She’s otherwise healthy, appears to be recovering well, and I don’t anticipate any major complications. #TheWildlifeVet #DrSamWilkinson #Eland #WildlifeVeterinarian #VeterinaryMedicine

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Thursday 12 November 2026 02:08:20 GMT