Yesterday, “Maxi,” a 10-year-old spotted hyena, underwent surgery to remove foreign objects from her stomach. She has experienced poor appetite, weight loss, and vomiting for several weeks. Prior to surgery, the Animal Health Team had immobilized her on two separate occasions to remove the foreign objects endoscopically in hopes of avoiding surgery. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful in removing all of the objects with an endoscope and Maxi was not able to pass them naturally. This left the team with the only choice of having to remove them surgically. The surgery was successful in removing the remaining foreign objects from her stomach. In addition, the team took the opportunity to also collect biopsies of Maxi’s stomach and intestines to evaluate if there are any other issues within her GI tract. She has recovered from anesthesia and will be convalescing for the next several weeks in her holding facility. The issues with Maxi further emphasize the dangers presented when foreign objects are thrown onto animal habitats in zoological facilities. In an effort to get a reaction from certain animals, individuals who throw anything into their habitats may in fact be putting that animal’s life at risk and subjecting them to the type of traumatic procedures that Maxi has had to endure. 📸: Ron Magill