Tai Shan Gets His Colon Scoped
Giant panda undergoes a colonoscopy
By JIM IOVINO
Updated 9:13 PM EST, Fri, May 1, 2009
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It's not all bamboo shoots and fruity ice treats for Tai Shan at the National Zoo.
As the loveable home-grown panda gets older, he's also dealing with some grown-up issues -- like an irritable bowel.
So the 4-year-old giant panda underwent a colonoscopy Friday at the Zoo as part of a routine exam.
Tai, it seems, was diagnosed last summer with eosinophilic colitis, a rare chronic inflammatory bowel condition. We'll spare the details about what that entails, but just know that it's not pleasant.
After noticing Tai losing more weight than normal last summer, he was treated with medication and is doing fine.
Friday's routine exam, which reportedly went well, included another colonoscopy so vets could compare a healthy panda colon with an unhealthy one.
More Information:
Everything You'd Need To Know About a Colonoscopy
First Published: May 1, 2009 8:43 AM EST
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