Abstract

A fourteen-year-old, 70 kg, female California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) was kept as an animal show performer at the Hualien Farglory Ocean Park, Taiwan. This individual suffered from chronic regurgitation and emesis with weight loss. The examination results of physiology, hematology, biochemistry, radiology, contrast radiology, cytology, and microbiology are all within normal range.^1-3 This individual was considered to be psychological sickness that generated the abnormal behavior as to obtain satisfaction through pressured her abdomen to regurgitate food.^4,5 The medication approach began from discontinuously applied the antipsychotic drug (Butyrophenone, Haldol®), a competitive dopamine receptor, since 2008.^6,7

The animal shows moderate sedation as the side effect of Haldol®.⁷ A better medical combination by use minimum Haldol® with antidopaminergic drug (Domperidone, Motilium®) was then applied. Motilium® is to reduce the amount of food which is able to be regurgitated and hope then this unfavorable behavior would decrease in this animal. We also built an unpredictable feeding time that the individual will concentrate on people who pass by and less focus to induce regurgitation. However, the above medical and environmental approach on this particular individual did not show long term effect.⁸

Chinese herbal medicine became our following trial. We use this Chinese medicine formula as used in human psychological disease especially in bipolar disorder.⁹ The assessment in Chinese medicine relies on 4 aspects: inspection/ auscultation/ interrogation/ palpation.⁹ Lack of the inspection and sensible pulse in sea lions make our judgment on the effectiveness much more difficult. However, we pick up these criteria to diagnosis: tongue image, the oral mucosa color and the sleep quality. We have seen the progress of this individual after 3 months of treatment. We are now forward to the next formula and keep more trails on environmental enrichment.

Table 1. Chinese Herbal Medication Formula

Acknowledgements

I am heartily thankful to the trainer - Yu-Chun Chang, vet student - Yun-Hua You and the California Sea Lion- PiPi who made this study possible. Thanks to my company - Farglory Ocean Park with all the generous support. Thanks for all the vets whose encouragement, guidance and support from the initial to the final level enabled me to develop an understanding of the subject. Lastly, I offer my regards and blessings to all of those who supported me in any respect during the completion of the project.

References

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