All eyes on Banzai.

So, this week, resident Plains Zebra Banzai had some attention.

Our pawesome Animal Team had noticed that she was at times quite snotty and had, at times, regurgitated food through her nostrils. 

Whilst she is quite happy in herself, we wanted to make sure that there were no underlying issues that were affecting her health.

So, in came our International Zoo Veterinary Group Consultant Vet team plus a specialise Equine vet and Equine nurse whose added knowledge and experience meant Banzai was getting the very best of equine care.

Under general anaesthetic, we used a head collar to keep Banzai’s mouth and jaw open, we were able to use a camera to scope out Banzai’s airways, oesophagus and lungs and took the opportunity to check her teeth and mouth too.

The team also took the opportunity to take samples for testing, including blood samples.

What the procedure was able to tell us is that Banzai’s teeth are in good nick, and she has an elongated soft palate (bottom of her mouth, under her tongue) - or "permanent dorsal displacement of the soft palate" - which means her epiglottis - the thing that closes over your windpipe while you’re eating to prevent food entering your airway - doesn’t function quite as it should.

Banzai’s test results also show that she has a mild form of asthma which doesn’t require any specific treatment at this stage, but is useful for us to know as we keep track of her health – and monitor her snottiness - going forwards.