A Blood Transfusion for Baby Elephant Phabeni — Guess Who the Donor Was

Please read the full story in our blog:
PART 1 - https://herd.org.za/blog/baby-elephan...
PART 2 - https://herd.org.za/blog/an-update-on...

We have been very busy compiling the most accurate version of the events that played out last month concerning a drop in Phabeni's health. Following on from part one which we shared in a blog, we now can inform you about the plasma transfusion that followed.

By Adine Roode

It was forecast to be a hot day so we decided to start at 6am with the transfusion procedures. I chose Mambo to be the blood donor for little Phabeni. First, we had to sedate Mambo before putting in the IV line. Usually, when you donate blood, you don’t feel anything except the little prick, however, they supply you with juice and perhaps a sweet cookie in South Africa, should you not feel well. With the elephants, there is of course no way that they will allow Dr Rogers to prick them with a needle. A standing sedation works well with the elephants. Our elephants have in fact played an integral part in the research of BAM, the abbreviation for a combination of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine administered in a standing sedation. 

It was a cool morning still and we were concerned that we would not easily find a vein to draw blood from, but luckily Mambo’s veins in his legs were good and we could fill two pints of blood. When choosing a donor, you look at a healthy animal as you want to restrict transmission of diseases.

Previously with other calves, we used Setombe as the blood donor, but because she has an important role to play in caring for Phabeni now, she wasn’t an option this time. Mambo was a star donor. While Mambo was sedated, the herd was close by and the carers fed them lucern to keep them occupied. After Dr Rogers reversed the BAM, Mambo joined the herd again, and we moved over to Phabeni at the orphanage.

Blood transfusions have been practiced over centuries for both humans and animals and have saved many lives. As in humans, animals do have different blood types, however, we are not aware of blood types in African elephants – perhaps this is a research study that we can put on our to-do list.

The week before the transfusion was tough with Phabeni not drinking all his milk bottles, as well as undergoing two previous sedations so that we could clean the wound you will have seen on his rear. We also administered drips to prevent dehydration. Interestingly, Phabeni’s energy levels were always good, but I think the fact that he was out with the Jabulani herd every day meant that he ate a lot of grass, leaves, bark, and roots that the bigger elephants would drop and share with him. Therefore he was getting in a good ‘batch’ supplementation to his milk. Although the second set of blood results showed an improvement in his amylase counts, we noticed that the wound on his rear was swollen again.

The main indication for Phabeni’s blood transfusion was the treatment of anemia and chronic inflammation because of his wound, but also because in all of our orphan calves at the age of 11 months, there is a dip where they struggle with their health, and stop taking bottles. Thus, a secondary reason for doing a blood transfusion was to maintain Phabeni's health and prevent a serious dip. We are fortunate that this is an easy option for us since we have access to elephant blood donors who are strong and healthy.

Once again Phabeni was darted with BAM. It took approximately 20 minutes for him to be ‘out’. As he had two drips in the previous seven days, it was tricky to get a vein in his ear, but luckily with Dr Rogers' experience, he was able to find a vein for the IV.

We gave Phabeni two pints of blood as well as drips to make sure that he was well-hydrated. Sedation is always risky and vitals need to be checked and monitored the whole time. During sedation, the elephants maintain their natural physiology reflexes and are capable of breathing on their own.

Luckily all went well and after the sedation was reversed, we gave Phabeni some time to be himself again, while Reply prepared his bottle. He drank the milk eagerly before stepping out of the nursery into the orphanage. Setombe and Lundi joined the carers to fetch Phabeni and the little bull left the orphanage just before 11 am to join the herd for the rest of the day in the bush. Keeping him in the orphanage would increase his stress levels as he doesn’t understand why he can't go out. We didn’t go too far from the homestead though, and fed close by, while we continued monitoring Mambo and Phabeni closely.

We were so relieved and satisfied that all went well and that our little fighting fit bull took all his milk bottles.