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Hello all,

As usual it's been a very interesting day! Over the last week our female Malayan sun bear Dewi, has been noted by her keepers to have a very swollen abdomen. Her attitude and appetite has remained normal, however keepers and veterinary staff were a bit concerned. So it was decided to plan to anaesthetise her so that we could examine her closely. "The Zoo" show was invited to film the procedure for their TV program and we also had a visiting human ultrasonographer and anaesthetist to assist our veterinary team, which consisted of one vet and two veterinary nurses.

Dewi was given an oral sedation medication mixed with honey and water, and once heavily sedated she was given an intramuscular injection to anaesthetise her. Once aneasthetised and stable we transported her to the animal health centre.

She was weighed first (52.95kg) and then placed onto the surgery table. We then intubated Dewi, which means we placed a tube into her trachea so that we could deliver oxygen and anaesthetic gas to keep her asleep for the procedure. A vet nurse and the visiting human anaesthetist closely monitored her anaesthetic.

All internal organs appeared fine under ultrasound examination, however it was discovered there was a large accumulation of free fluid in her abdomen.  Radiographs of her chest indicate suspected heart disease, which is most likely causing her swollen abdomen.

Dewi recovered very well from her procedure, we have started her on some medication and she is being closely monitored by her keepers and the veterinary team.

Paula