BPZOO Announces Hospice Care for Beloved Asian Elephant

Ruth has called BPZOO home since 1986 

Buttonwood Park Zoo is sad to announce that Ruth, one of the Zoo’s two beloved female Asian elephants, has entered hospice care.

The animal care team, which includes Zoo staff, veterinarians and curatorial staff, made the decision to focus on end-of-life care based on her age-related health issues and discussions with outside elephant veterinarians and large animal specialists. At 66 years old, Ruth is one of the oldest elephants in professional care. The median life expectancy for female Asian elephants is 47.

“Hospice care for an elephant has some similarities to the specialized care humans receive with a life-limiting illness,” said Shara Rapoza, Buttonwood Park Zoo’s Assistant Director and Elephant Manager. “Veterinary and elephant staff are working together, focusing on Ruth’s care, comfort, and quality of life.”

BPZOO Staff are now performing consistent quality of life assessments of Ruth, and veterinary staff are monitoring her daily to ensure she is comfortable.

“The team knows that every day with Ruth is a gift,” Rapoza said. “We are taking our cues from her, allowing her to guide us on next steps.”

“We all care for Ruth deeply, so it has been extremely challenging to watch her decline, as none of us want to see her in pain,” said BPZOO Veterinarian Dr. Emmy Budas.

Ruth arrived at BPZOO in 1986 already diagnosed with skeletal conformational abnormalities, resulting in an uneven distribution of pressure on parts of her feet and joints while walking and standing.

“This chronic abnormal distribution of weight has resulted in Ruth developing significant arthritis,” Dr. Budas said.  “Just as with any other geriatric animal, arthritis progresses over time. Now at 66 years old, Ruth’s mobility has decreased, as has the range of motion of her joints.”

Ruth has also battled proliferative pododermatitis – which causes too much tissue to grow around the nails, toes, or pads of her feet. The pododermatitis developed secondary to Ruth’s uneven distribution of her weight on her feet. In 2021 Ruth’s pododermatitis was so significant that the zoo had a team of veterinary and elephant foot experts come out to assist with her treatment. At that time, Ruth became the pioneer for a new treatment of pododermatitis in elephants, which involves carbon dioxide gas chamber treatment surrounding the foot followed by application of canker powder. This treatment was so beneficial, it is now being used in other elephants worldwide. With this continued treatment, in addition to regular corrective trimming of her nails and footpads, Ruth’s pododermatitis stabilized.

Despite the innovative pododermatitis treatments, years of various anti-inflammatory treatments, and pain management, the elephant care team and veterinary team have seen a decline in Ruth’s gait. They have also noticed she is more frequently shifting weight off her limbs, self-limiting her exercise, and she is experiencing intermittent flare ups of pododermatitis. The team often allows Ruth to remain inside her barn, which allows her to relax comfortably and take the pressure off her feet and her arthritic joints.

“We have Ruth on multiple pain medications daily, as well as supplemental pain management therapies, such as cold laser therapy and pulsed electromagnetic field therapy,” Dr. Budas said. “The challenges with administering various forms of pain management for an elephant is that she needs to be willing to participate in her treatments. We are so grateful that Ruth loves her biscuits and will tolerate these long sessions of pain management.”

In addition to the variety of strategies used to minimize Ruth’s pain and discomfort, the elephant care team has recognized the need for Ruth to have a modified diet. For many years, staff have been carefully chopping her preferred type of hay and cooking all her produce. Asian elephants have six sets of molars over the course of their lifetime, and Ruth lost her final set of teeth earlier this summer. Her team continues to adjust how her food is prepared to ensure she can continue to enjoy her favorite foods.

For 38 years, Ruth has been a beloved member of the Greater New Bedford community and BPZOO family.

“Ruth is a true icon in New Bedford,” said Gary Lunsford, Director of Zoological Services. “From the moment I arrived here over two years ago, I could see how special she is to our community and to our staff members. Her long life is a testament to the care she has been receiving for the past 38 years and the love and dedication the staff will continue to provide. We anticipate an outpouring of support from those who love Ruth as much as we do, and please know every member of the staff, current or former, appreciates it very much.”