How do you give a cheetah a medical exam? Zoo Miami just shared the video
How do you make sure a cheetah is feeling OK?
The first step: Immobilize it.
Last week, Zoo Miami’s 8-year-old cheetah named Koda had his annual wellness exam as part of the zoo’s Animal Health Department’s preventative medicine program.
Zoo spokesman Ron Magill shared video of the Sept. 9 exam, which included blood tests, X-rays and a dental cleaning.
“Because wild animals instinctively hide symptoms of being ill or injured so as not to expose themselves to predation or aggression, regular wellness exams play an important role in being able to diagnose any potential problems before they become too serious,” Magill said in a news release. “Being able to detect any problems at an early stage plays an important role in the success of any treatment, which is why these types of exams are a fundamental part of the zoo’s overall preventative medicine program.”
The 110-pound cat that once served as the “Wildlife Prognosticator,” for the 2015 Ford EcoBoost 400 (he was fired after selecting the wrong car as the winner), appeared to be in good health and was reunited with his brother, Diesel.
This story was originally published September 17, 2020 at 11:52 AM.
