The circle of life is going down at Franklin Park Zoo.
Kamaia, a 14-year-old lion that zoo officers say is “severely anemic,” acquired blood from his brother, Dinari, throughout a transfusion accomplished Friday to assist decide the reason for his ongoing well being points.
Part of the 3-hour process included docs eradicating Kamaia’s spleen, which zoo officers decided to be “massively enlarged — at least twice the size it should be.”
“We are hopeful that he will be feeling better very soon. This was a major surgery, and we will continue to monitor him closely to ensure that he is comfortable and recovering well,” mentioned Dr. Chris Bonar, Zoo New England’s director of animal well being.
Dinari, additionally 14, on Thursday underwent a process to assist his sick brother. The zoo’s veterinary staff drew blood from Dinari to see if it was a match with Kamaia.
“Blood transfusions are not often performed in zoological settings because it can difficult to find a suitable donor,” Bonar mentioned. “Because Kamaia and his brother were littermates, Dinari was the perfect donor for this much-needed transfusion.”
Doctors discovered nothing “abnormal” throughout the surgical procedure past Kamaia’s enlarged spleen, and officers anticipate to obtain leads to every week from the samples of his spleen.
Kamaia, who has lived at Franklin Park along with his brother since 2015, fought by pneumonia earlier this spring, and complete diagnostic exams got here up inconclusive of any underlying well being points, in line with officers.
Kamaia’s care staff will proceed intently monitoring him for the following few weeks as he’s anticipated to stay in his off-exhibit house whereas he recovers.
“We have been so touched by the tremendous outpouring of support for the lion brothers and our incredible team who works so hard to care for them,” mentioned John Linehan, president and CEO of Zoo New England.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”