# Things they didn't teach in vet school ...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-they-didnt-teach-in-vet-school/532080
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [March 11, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-they-didnt-teach-in-vet-school/532080 "2010-03-11T04:15:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-they-didnt-teach-in-vet-school/532080/1 "2010-03-11T04:15:24Z")
Sydney’s Taronga Zoo has five adult elephants brought from Thailand in November 2006. The animals were sourced from tourist and work camps.
The move was generated controversy and local activists delayed the project for a considerable time. Since then the elephants seem to have settled in well and produced the first elephant calf born in Australia in July last year.
The second pregnancy proved more complicated.
[ABC News - Trusted Source of Latest News & Headlines](http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/08/2839511.htm)[Baby elephant dies at Taronga Zoo](http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/08/2839511.htm)
> [@](#):
>
> Mon Mar 8, 2010 5:08pm AEDT
> A baby Asian elephant has died during labour at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo.
>
> The calf’s 18-year-old mother Porntip was in and out of labour over the past week, after a pregnancy lasting almost two years.
>
> Zoo keepers and veterinarians were concerned about the progress of the labour, with Porntip showing unusual movements and behaviour.
> Taronga Zoo’s director Cameron Kerr says the calf was in the wrong position to move down the birth canal, and an ultrasound this morning indicated it had died.
>
> He says staff are still coming to terms with the news.
>
> “Very tired and very sad I think for all of us really. It’s very sad,” he said.
>
> Mr Kerr said Porntip still has to give birth to the calf which could take weeks or even months.
Then, a couple of hours ago we get the news …
[Taronga Zoos new baby elephant making good progress](http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/taronga-zoos-new-baby-elephant-making-good-progress-zoo-keepers-say/story-e6frf7jo-1225839583084)
> [@](#):
>
> THE miracle baby elephant born at Taronga Zoo has survived his first night.
> The as-yet unnamed calf was born at 3.27am yesterday weighing about 100kg after a protracted labour.
>
> The birth was labelled a miracle after every scientific test - and reportedly even the behaviour of the zoo’s other elephants - indicated he had died in his mother Porntip’s womb.
>
> However the zoo warned that the calf still faced a fight for survival after such a complicated delivery.
>
> The youngster, who was monitored throughout the night, has delighted keepers with his progress which includes suckling from Porntip and moving about on his feet - without help
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### Author:  [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-they-didnt-teach-in-vet-school/532080/2 "2010-03-11T05:48:53Z")
I hope it makes it.
I imagine it’s hard performing certain procedures, like an ultrasound, on an animal so large. I remember a veterinarian instructor I had in Vet. Tech. school once told us how they had to wear full hazmat gear and climb inside a dead elephant in order to do a necropsy\* (autopsy). So I’m guessing a c-section would be impossible.
\*It died of tuberculosis.
By the way, this should probably be in MPSIMS, I don’t see the opinion here.
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### Author:  [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-they-didnt-teach-in-vet-school/532080/3 "2010-03-11T14:47:17Z")
Who in the nine hells names an elephant Porntip?
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### Author:  [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-they-didnt-teach-in-vet-school/532080/4 "2010-03-11T15:34:10Z")
It’s a Thai name. **Siam Sam** once mentioned how a lot of Thai names have “porn” in them. I think he said it’s pronounced “pawn”.
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-they-didnt-teach-in-vet-school/532080/5 "2010-03-11T19:11:07Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#):
>
> Who in the nine hells names an elephant Porntip?
Well, you’re not going to get the whole thing in, are you?
I can’t believe I just typed that.
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### Author:  [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-they-didnt-teach-in-vet-school/532080/6 "2010-03-11T21:57:30Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#):
>
> It’s a Thai name. **Siam Sam** once mentioned how a lot of Thai names have “porn” in them. I think he said it’s pronounced “pawn”.
One of my Thai coworkers was named Kittiporn. I’m sure in Thailand it didn’t cause any snickers - but for the group of guys I worked with in the states it was like it was seventh grade.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2010, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-they-didnt-teach-in-vet-school/532080/7 "2010-03-12T00:47:41Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#):
>
> It’s a Thai name. **Siam Sam** once mentioned how a lot of Thai names have “porn” in them. I think he said it’s pronounced “pawn”.
Correct. Pronounced like the English word “pawn.” Still possible to get the giggles when you meet a girl with the not-uncommon name of Supaporn (which although sounds differently, sounds very close to “super porn.”) Anything with “Porn” – on its own or connected to another sylable or syllables – seems to be mostly a girl’s name, although I have encountered at least one man with the name of … wait for it … Pornrat.
My favorite Thai name has to be Therdsak (sounds close to “turd sack”). In fact, I know a fellow American who, as general manager of a local company, joked that he had wanted to hire an applicant named that one time, just so he could have someone around he could call Turd. Alas! Therdsak’s qualifications were not up to snuff.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2010, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-they-didnt-teach-in-vet-school/532080/8 "2010-03-12T00:57:48Z")
Oh, and glad about the elephant. I once saw a VERY pregnant elephant walking down the street here with its mahout (handler). She looked like she had swallowed a VW bus!
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### Author:  [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-they-didnt-teach-in-vet-school/532080/9 "2010-03-12T02:38:10Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#):
>
> . Alas! Therdsak’s qualifications were not up to snuff.
You mean his skills didn’t pass the sniff test?
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-they-didnt-teach-in-vet-school/532080/10 "2010-03-13T03:42:09Z")
> [@bengangmo](#):
>
> You mean his skills didn’t pass the sniff test?
They only test the girls for that. 😉