Tiger feels g-r-r-reat! (Thanks to UF)

Tiger feels g-r-r-reat!

(Thanks to UF veterinarians)

Photo by Maria Belen Farias

This 8-year-old tiger came to the zoological medicine service at UF’s Small Animal Hospital in mid-February after showing a loss of appetite and signs of gastrointestinal discomfort. “The diagnosis was arthritis in the hip,” said Ramiro Isaza, D.V.M., an associate professor of zoological medicine with the UF College of Veterinary Medicine. In addition to numerous tests, the tiger underwent an arthroscopic procedure Feb. 21 to clean out the big cat’s hip joint. “We sent her home Friday (Feb. 24) for ‘cage rest’ and a prescription for antibiotics and pain medications to help her hip heal,” Isaza said. The tiger will be reevaluated at UF in several weeks to see if she has improved. To see more photos and video from the tiger’s stay, visit news.health.ufl.edu.