COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Emmett, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s 21-year-old grizzly bear, is preparing for cancer treatment.
On Monday, the zoo said that biopsy results revealed that a lump in Emmett’s tail is cancerous. According to the zoo, the mass is at the base of his tail. Veterinarians plan to remove his tail along with the mass and any affected surrounding tissue. Sonographers also plan to use an ultrasound before the procedures to search for any additional tumors.
While the zoo said that it can be risky to put an animal under anesthesia, the team feels optimistic about the procedure because he has appeared to be otherwise in good health. According to the zoo, Emmett has been play-wrestling with his roommate, Digger, as well as eating, drinking, meeting his fans and participating in normal day-to-day life.
“I’m sure there are many people who can relate to what we’re dealing with,” Rocky Mountain Wild animal care manager Rebecca Zwicker said. “We’ve spent the past weeks preparing to give Emmett a fighting chance, and we’ll do everything we can to support him through this.”
Emmett, a 21-year-old grizzly bear with the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo(Cheyenne Mountain Zoo)
According to the zoo, teams from almost every department have been preparing for the surgery.
Once receiving an injection from the care team, the zoo said Emmett would be transported by heavy equipment to the zoo’s hospital, where members will bring him to the operating table. CMZoo said professionals from the CSU Veterinary Health System and Focused Ultrasound Resources would assist with the procedure.
“There are a lot of unknowns, so we’re preparing for every possible outcome,” CMZoo’s associate veterinarian, who is leading Emmett’s case, Dr. Jasmine Sarvi said. “With every decision, we’ll be aiming to preserve his best quality of life and post-operative recovery. There are no guarantees, but Emmett is strong, so we have high hopes that he will recover and go back to his home. We all care about Emmett, and we’re determined to try and cure him of this disease.”
Emmett has been with the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo since 2007. He reportedly came to the zoo after several negative interactions with humans. The zoo said that typically, “nuisance bears” are euthanized after several ”strikes,” but Emmett was given a second chance at the zoo.
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