I'm so sorry to lose you buddy. He was a good boy and had a rough couple of years. His keepers fought really hard to keep him around. I'm sure it was really hard to let him go. We'll miss you big guy!
November 18 , 2008
CRITICALLY ILL AMUR LEOPARD EUTHANIZED
Rare leopard had terminal cancer
 |
PORTLAND, Ore. - This morning, Oregon Zoo veterinarians euthanized Fred, a 17-year-old, geriatric Amur leopard, who had been suffering from an aggressive form of terminal cancer. Veterinarians and zookeepers were by his side when he died. The staff is deeply saddened by his passing.
"We had a lot of people involved in managing Fred's care," said Chris Pfefferkorn, general curator. "It became apparent that his quality of life was not improving, despite the best efforts of all involved. Zoo veterinarians and staff determined that the only humane thing to do was to euthanize him."
In September, zoo veterinarians performed surgery on Fred and discovered a tumor, which they immediately removed. Chemotherapy was begun to try to eradicate the cancer. However, during his third dose, veterinarians discovered the tumors had reappeared.
Pfefferkorn reflected on the loss: "Losing Fred is extremely difficult for everyone involved in his care. He was a very special cat and a wonderful ambassador for his critically endangered species. He will be sorely missed."
No comments:
Post a Comment