Surgical management of severe tail injury by partial caudectomy in a long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis)

Abstract

A male long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) was found to have a severe tail injury during a clinical examination prior to vasectomy at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. The injury involved an open wound with areas of necrosis and fracture. Based on the tail condition, the animal was treated with a partial caudectomy. Prophylactic treatment prior to surgery with antibiotic and anti-inflammatory was carried out using amoxicillin and ketorolac tromethamine, respectively. Anesthesia was maintained using propofol. Postoperatively, the anesthesia reversal agent atipamezole was administered. After the macaque exhibited clear signs of recovery from anesthesia, it was transported in a cage back to the capture site and released into its original social group. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented case report describing partial caudectomy in macaques.