A team of vets have performed the a CAT scan on a rhinoceros in order to fix its blocked nose.
A 40-strong team, from the Chicago Zoological Society, performed the pioneering task in order to correct the animal’s breathing problems.
Layla, an eight-year-old eastern black rhinoceros, was struggling with the blockage for several weeks, so they used cutting-edge equipment to assess the root cause.
After assessing the 2,296 lbs (164 stone), 12 foot (3.5 metre) long ungulate, they discovered that she had an impacted, unerupted molar that was causing a nasal obstruction.
Help: Alongside finding the source of her problem, the CAT scan also allowed the team to establish the extent of the infection which helped determine the best surgical approach for removing the infected tissue
Discomfort: Layla, an eight-year-old eastern black rhinoceros, was struggling with a blocked nose for several weeks
Treatment: The team, from the Chicago Zoological Society, can be seen moving the animal into the super-sized CAT scan
Heavyweight: Because of the rhino’s weight, the vets were forced to use a tractor to haul her body into the scanner
The zoo is one of the only ones in the world to have it’s own CAT scanner – but staff faced difficulties when they realised Layla was too large to be moved inside the zoo’s animal hospital.
Instead, vets planned to bring in a portable scanner to the zoo’s pachyderm house – where 40 members of staff went about transporting Layla to the scanner.
Images revealed that Layla had an impacted, unerupted molar that was causing a nasal obstruction.
As rhinos have difficulty breathing through their mouths, an obstruction in their nose would have proved fatal in the wild.
Alongside finding the source of her problem, the CAT scan also allowed the team to establish the extent of the infection which helped determine the best surgical approach for removing the infected tissue.
The surgery, which was carried out by veterinary staff and three doctors, saw the removal of the molar from Layla’s mouth.
Dr Michael Adkesson, vice president of clinical medicine for Chicago Zoological Society, which manages the zoo, said: ‘Their heads are so incredibly massive and their bones are so thick that our traditional X-rays are just not able to penetrate through the skull to provide a clear, precise picture.
Animal healthcare: The Chicago zoo is one of the only ones in the entire world to have it’s own CAT scanner for its creatures
The surgery, which was carried out by veterinary staff and three doctors, saw the removal of the molar from Layla’s mouth
Concern: The surgery took an hour, but it involved an entire troupe of vets to monitor the rhino’s health and ensure its safety
Risk: As rhinos have difficulty breathing through their mouths, an obstruction in their nose would have proved fatal in the wild
Safeguard: The team were keen to save Layla because black rhinos have been killed in increasing numbers in recent years as transnational, organised criminal networks have become more involved in their
Following the procedure, the 40-strong team return the animal into a post-surgical setting for her recovery
‘To our knowledge, this type of surgery has never been performed on an adult rhinoceros before. We are very encouraged by how well Layla has tolerated the procedure,’ said Dr. Michael Adkesson of the Chicago Zoological Society
Happy and healthy: Surgical patient Layla pictured after her medical procedure, complete with newly-cleared airways
‘To our knowledge, this type of surgery has never been performed on an adult rhinoceros before. We are very encouraged by how well Layla has tolerated the procedure.
‘In the wild, this condition would have proved fatal, but we are very hopeful that with our advanced medical care we will be able to save Layla’s life.
‘We are extremely grateful for our partnerships with everyone who has assisted with the surgery and CT scan to help create an optimal outcome for Layla.’
