Woodland Park Zoo’s oldest hippo needs dental surgery
Dozens of Woodland Park Zoo staff and a veterinary dentist are scheduled to perform dental surgery Wednesday on the Seattle zoo’s oldest hippo Water Lily.
Lily turned 45 in August. She has been at Woodland Park Zoo since 1979.
Zoo staff say Lily has an infected wound in the back of her jaw that may be related to a tooth problem.
The 2,700-pound geriatric hippo will be under general anesthesia during the surgery, which does carry some risks, but the zoo says the risks are manageable and the surgery is necessary.
“All of our animals here at Woodland Park Zoo receive advanced medical care and this procedure is needed to ensure the wellbeing of Lily. Our team has many years of combined expertise in large animal anesthesia,” said Dr. Tim Storms, Animal Health Director.
During the surgery, staff will also perform several tests to get a sense of the hippo’s overall health.
The zoo will use “advanced rigging techniques” to keep Lily safe while she is being moved in her sleep and to keep handlers safe as well.
Woodland Park Zoo has promised KIRO 7 an update following Lily’s surgery and we’ll let you know how it went.
