A Very Brave Red Panda Is Overcoming So Many Health Issues!

Wild Times at the San Diego Zoo

Cute, cuddly red panda cub, Oolong, was born at about half the weight of a typical cub. Doctors soon realized his diagnosis of hyperthyroidism would mean lots of extra care and special treatment for his development.

Transcript

00:00At first sight, this may appear to be your typical red panda cub.

00:04He has plenty of energy, he loves to explore, and he is full of curiosity.

00:11Say hello to Oolong.

00:15Oolong is our red panda cub that we have at Binder Park Zoo.

00:18He was born about four months ago.

00:20Now, a new birth is always cause for a celebration.

00:24But unfortunately for Oolong, the celebration had to be put on hold.

00:27Oolong was about half the size of red pandas his age

00:31when the veterinarian diagnosed him with a condition known as congenital hypothyroidism.

00:37This is when an organ of the body, the thyroid, doesn't function as it should.

00:41In newborns, it can cause severe health problems,

00:44with delayed growth and development if not treated.

00:47The staff knew something needed to be done.

00:51Once we were able to diagnose that Oolong had hypothyroidism,

00:55the animal care staff team and the vet team had to step in

00:58and to feed him multiple times a day.

01:01And during that time, we also had to kind of teach him

01:03how to move around and developmentally grow as well.

01:07Oolong required hours of extra care.

01:09The staff administered treatments,

01:12they fed him a special diet consisting of newborn puppy formula,

01:15and they took plenty of time for play

01:17to encourage him to build up his muscles and sharpen his balance.

01:20With proper management, soon the little cubs started to grow in weight and size.

01:26This was a huge relief to all the staff who cared for him.

01:29And Oolong wasn't the only one to benefit from all the extra attention.

01:33Each day with Oolong is different.

01:35You never know what kind of spunky mood he's going to be in.

01:38And just being able to watch him developmentally grow.

01:41When he was first brought in with us,

01:43he had a hard time walking, just like a newborn does.

01:47So watching him learn how to become more stable has been really exciting.

01:52Whatever he lacks in size, he certainly makes up for in personality.

01:57This tiny red panda proves that no challenge is too great,

02:01especially with a little help from your friends.

Categoría

Transcripción

Recomendada