An arthritic tiger is set to undergo its second operation in less than a week after her hip replacement became dislodged, veterinarians at Brookfield Zoo, near the US city Chicago, said on Thursday.
Malena, an Amur tiger, underwent the unusual surgery on Wednesday. Vets fitted her with a custom-made implant in a femur - the main “thigh bone” that rotates at the hip and the knee, in tigers and humans alike.
But the orthopedic implant fell out of place as Malena began moving about overnight. She had initially appeared to recover well from the 6.5-hour surgery.
The 10-year-old tiger will undergo surgery on Saturday to remove the implant. Vets will then perform an alternative procedure to allow a fibrous joint to form and for her leg muscles provide stability to the joint.
Second time lucky
Dr. Mike Adkesson said veterinarians knew going into the initial surgery there was a risk of complications. But they were aware that they “still had a secondary option to relieve her discomfort.”
“While she won't have the high level of function we were hoping to restore with the innovative total hip replacement, Malena will be able to move around comfortably without pain in her hip.”
An arthritic tiger?
When the tiger, Malena, arrived at the zoo last year, she had already been diagnosed with arthritis of the hip. This is normal for animals as they age, the zoo noted.
Prior to the operation she was receiving pain relief medications.
Amur tigers - also known as a Siberian tigers - once roamed in Russia and China, but are now endangered. Their population in the wild is estimated between 500 to 600 animals.