The king of Perth Zoo’s pride had a recent health examination to get to the bottom of some tooth and tummy troubles.
 
Tipping the scales at close to 200kg, anaesthetising a cat this big is no mean feat! But it’s all in a day’s work for our dedicated team of zoo keepers and veterinary staff.
 
Animals like Jelani will often do their best to hide signs of being unwell, as their survival instincts stop them from appearing weak.
 
But our dedicated animal care team keep a very close eye on the behaviour and daily habits of every animal. This valuable data is logged each day so we can monitor for any changes.
 
When keepers noticed Jelani wasn’t his usual self our veterinary team developed a plan to get him back to his roar-some self.

With the assistance of consulting veterinary teams from Animalius, Jelani had root canal therapy and gastroscopy performed, (where a camera was inserted into his stomach!) as well as a general examination of his body condition and joint health.
 
He also had blood samples and X-rays taken to monitor his overall health.
 
Perth Zoo Veterinarian Rebecca Vaughan-Higgins said: “We’re pleased that Jelani’s procedure went very well, and to help him recover from the root canal, he’ll be on soft foods with no bones for the next few weeks.
 
“While today’s gastroscopy did not reveal any significant changes, we have taken some biopsies from his gastrointestinal system for further testing.
 
“It’s possible his sore tooth was having an impact on his appetite, so we will continue to monitor him closely to ensure he’s getting the best possible care.”
 
 
Our dedicated animal carers are committed to providing gold standard care to all the animals who call Perth Zoo home.
 
Jelani’s recent health check is a testament to the efforts and expertise of our hand-working Perth Zoo team.