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CINCINNATI, OH (October 31, 2025) – Many humans, especially athletes, experience joint pain and often treat it with medications and/or joint injections.  Pain management options are not so simple for Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s 10,000+-pound bull elephant. 

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“Oral anti-inflammatory medications provide relief for humans and smaller animals, but Sabu needed more to treat significant arthritis in his elbows,” said Dr. Mike Wenninger, Cincinnati Zoo’s director of animal health. “In consultation with a pain medicine specialist, we decided that Arthramid injections were the best option for him.” 

Procedures that require sedation, especially for a species this large, are only considered when an animal’s quality of life is a factor.  In this case, it was clear that the 37-year-old bull elephant was experiencing pain that was limiting his mobility and affecting his sleep.  

“Since receiving the injection in June, we have seen improvement in Sabu’s mobility and his behavior around the females in the herd,” said Dr. Wenninger. “About three months after the injection, he lay down overnight and he’s been laying down to sleep every night since then.”  

 Many people had a hand in pulling off this successful procedure, including Cincinnati Zoo’s elephant care team, public safety, facilities, colleagues from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, and pain management specialist Dr. Matt Brunke. It should have long-lasting results, providing relief for anywhere from 1-5 years, so the monumental effort was certainly worth it. 

“While there was risk for Sabu, we believe this treatment will give him the best chance to improve and have a longer life. This was no small undertaking (figuratively AND literally)!” said Cincinnati Zoo’s director of animal care, Christina Gorsuch. “We hope that it will also make breeding with the females in Cincinnati Zoo’s herd easier for him.” 

Sabu sired two calves, one born last week and one earlier this summer, while he was at the Columbus Zoo during the construction of Cincinnati Zoo’s Elephant Trek.  

“He’s still figuring things out with the newer females here,” said Gorsuch.  “We know that they are fertile, and he is too, so we hope it’s just a matter of time before we can make a happy announcement here in Cincinnati.” 

Come see Sabu and the rest of the herd!  The Zoo opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. Hours are extended during PNC Festival of Lights.  Download the Zoo’s mobile app featuring a GPS-enabled digital map to help you navigate to Elephant Trek. Turn on notifications to get updates and special offers.