Earlier this month, surgery lasting 45 minutes was needed to successfully remove cataracts from the eye´s of Jeep, a chinstrap penguin from Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas. The team of surgeons consisted of six fourth-year DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) students as well as members of the Texas A&M College´s recently formed ophthalmology team.
Shaman Hoppes, the Texas A&M zoological veterinarian who lead the operation, is positive about the likelihood of this cataract surgery becoming the standard procedure for elderly penguins in the future. This is particularly important for penguins in captivity as their ability to live longer in these environments makes them vulnerable to cataract development. Penguins are highly sociable animals, thus loosing their site has a significant impact on their interaction with others in their flock leading to a more isolated existence.
The next steps for the team are to fine-tune the surgery for the remaining 5 Moody Garden penguins selected for the procedure. Each one will be closely monitored during their recovery as well as once they are released back into their flock. To date, cataract operations on penguins have rarely been reported or published. Texas A&M veterinary ophthalmologist Dr. Lucien Vallone, who was involved in the selection of the 6 penguins for surgery, commented that the team´s aim now is to try and collect as much data as possible so that they can use it to make knowledge-based decisions moving forward.
Through the World Veterinary Association´s partnership with the WCEA, hopefully invaluable procedures such as this will get published via their online continuing education platform. This should allow DVM members globally to access veterinary courses for this specific surgery, helping animals live more fulfilling lives as well as furthering their own educations.
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