Medical grade honey: Hope for wounded white rhinos
South Africa is home to some of the world's most endangered wildlife, with the White rhinoceros (Cerathotherium simum) among its most threatened species due to its highly sought-after horn. Since the reproduction number is below the mortality rate, there is a decrease in rhinos year over year,...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2021-09-01
|
| Series: | Veterinary and Animal Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451943X21000326 |
| _version_ | 1819019086782267392 |
|---|---|
| author | Hendrik J. Marais Zoe G. Glyphis Niels A.J. Cremers |
| author_facet | Hendrik J. Marais Zoe G. Glyphis Niels A.J. Cremers |
| author_sort | Hendrik J. Marais |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | South Africa is home to some of the world's most endangered wildlife, with the White rhinoceros (Cerathotherium simum) among its most threatened species due to its highly sought-after horn. Since the reproduction number is below the mortality rate, there is a decrease in rhinos year over year, urgently requiring changes and saving the survivors. In this study, the efficacy of medical grade honey (MGH) for wound care in rhinos was investigated.We presented a case series of seven rhinos with wounds of different etiologies, including gunshots and poaching. Four wounds were around the horns and three on the limbs. It was a challenge to take care and follow-up the wounds of these wild animals in their natural habitat. A well-balanced decision between the need of treatment and risk of immobilization is constantly evaluated. In the presented cases, MGH proved a novel tool with minimal intervention and maximal effectiveness. With the severity of the wounds taken into consideration, there was a rapid healing in all cases, while infection resolved when present. MGH creates a moist and anti-inflammatory wound environment, while promoting almost all aspects in the wound healing processes, such as autolytic debridement, angiogenesis and re-epithelialization. The efficacy of MGH has constantly been confirmed in other cases and literature as well. MGH forms a potent therapy for treating wounded rhinos, independent of the severity of the wound. The strong antimicrobial and healing properties make it an easy and versatile product that can be used in all kinds of wounds. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T03:29:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c09a59f3bff0456497559b22c7aff94e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2451-943X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T03:29:44Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Veterinary and Animal Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-c09a59f3bff0456497559b22c7aff94e2022-12-21T19:17:30ZengElsevierVeterinary and Animal Science2451-943X2021-09-0113100196Medical grade honey: Hope for wounded white rhinosHendrik J. Marais0Zoe G. Glyphis1Niels A.J. Cremers2Saving the Survivors, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, 0110 Onderstepoort, South AfricaSaving the Survivors, Pretoria, South AfricaTriticum Exploitatie BV, Sleperweg 44, 6222NK Maastricht, the Netherlands; Corresponding author.South Africa is home to some of the world's most endangered wildlife, with the White rhinoceros (Cerathotherium simum) among its most threatened species due to its highly sought-after horn. Since the reproduction number is below the mortality rate, there is a decrease in rhinos year over year, urgently requiring changes and saving the survivors. In this study, the efficacy of medical grade honey (MGH) for wound care in rhinos was investigated.We presented a case series of seven rhinos with wounds of different etiologies, including gunshots and poaching. Four wounds were around the horns and three on the limbs. It was a challenge to take care and follow-up the wounds of these wild animals in their natural habitat. A well-balanced decision between the need of treatment and risk of immobilization is constantly evaluated. In the presented cases, MGH proved a novel tool with minimal intervention and maximal effectiveness. With the severity of the wounds taken into consideration, there was a rapid healing in all cases, while infection resolved when present. MGH creates a moist and anti-inflammatory wound environment, while promoting almost all aspects in the wound healing processes, such as autolytic debridement, angiogenesis and re-epithelialization. The efficacy of MGH has constantly been confirmed in other cases and literature as well. MGH forms a potent therapy for treating wounded rhinos, independent of the severity of the wound. The strong antimicrobial and healing properties make it an easy and versatile product that can be used in all kinds of wounds.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451943X21000326RhinosWildlife managementConservation medicineMedical grade honeyWoundsWound Healing |
| spellingShingle | Hendrik J. Marais Zoe G. Glyphis Niels A.J. Cremers Medical grade honey: Hope for wounded white rhinos Veterinary and Animal Science Rhinos Wildlife management Conservation medicine Medical grade honey Wounds Wound Healing |
| title | Medical grade honey: Hope for wounded white rhinos |
| title_full | Medical grade honey: Hope for wounded white rhinos |
| title_fullStr | Medical grade honey: Hope for wounded white rhinos |
| title_full_unstemmed | Medical grade honey: Hope for wounded white rhinos |
| title_short | Medical grade honey: Hope for wounded white rhinos |
| title_sort | medical grade honey hope for wounded white rhinos |
| topic | Rhinos Wildlife management Conservation medicine Medical grade honey Wounds Wound Healing |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451943X21000326 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hendrikjmarais medicalgradehoneyhopeforwoundedwhiterhinos AT zoegglyphis medicalgradehoneyhopeforwoundedwhiterhinos AT nielsajcremers medicalgradehoneyhopeforwoundedwhiterhinos |