Kiburi, the 21-year-old patriarch of London Zoo’s western lowland gorilla troop, was recently given a clean bill of health following a meticulously planned health check. The 177kg primate had been under observation after contending with recurrent gastrointestinal issues, leading the Zoo’s expert veterinary team to decide that they needed to take a closer look at him, with the help of a CT scan and both veterinary and human health specialists.
Before his full health check could take place, Kiburi had to be anaesthetised – which was done with an injection in his upper arm. This seemingly simple procedure took months of planning to achieve, with Kiburi taking part in frequent training with zookeepers and veterinary nurses, so that he would offer his arm for the anaesthetic to be administered.
Following a full cardiology examination under anaesthetic, Kiburi was transferred under constant monitoring to a mobile CT scanning unit from Burgess Diagnostics. The scan was live-read by VET.CT’s David Reese, a world-leading exotics radiologist working remotely from his home town of Perth, Australia. The scan was focussed on Kiburi’s abdomen and revealed no obvious cause for concern - a diagnosis supported by doctors from the NHS who specialise in gastrointestinal health and imaging, and provided unique assistance for Kiburi’s procedure.
Annotated image from the VET.CT report indicating the wall of the caecum (blue arrows)
London Zoo Head of Wildlife Health Services, Amanda Guthrie, said: “We monitor all our animals very closely to ensure they’re getting the best care possible, so when we saw that Kiburi was having stomach issues, we wanted to make sure everything was working as it should.
“Thankfully, the silverback's initial test results have all come back as normal. Kiburi is back with his family at the Zoo’s Gorilla Kingdom habitat – including his two infant daughters, Juno and Venus.
“Having been able to get a closer look at how he’s doing, it’s good to see that these initial results show nothing of concern – and it helps us put together a monitoring plan so we can continue to make sure he feels his best.”
David Reese, radiologist and managing director of VET.CT Asia-Pacific said, “It was a pleasure to work with the ZSL Wildlife Health Services Team planning the exam and assuring everyone's role was clearly defined prior to this procedure, a key to a success. It is truly an honour to work with dedicated veterinary teams and organisations around the world committed to the care of animals - including species that are critically endangered in the wild. The power of technology to connect remote veterinary expertise is key to supporting collaborative care and help ensure the best outcomes for animal patients like Kiburi, wherever they may be.”