Big cat, big scan, big moment - lion cub gets MRI in George

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GEORGE NEWS AND VIDEO - Local history was made on Monday 19 May when a lion cub was brought to Garden Route Radiology in George for an after-hours magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.

While the practice has previously accommodated domestic animals on special request by veterinarians, it was the first time they've rolled out the red carpet for the king of the jungle.

Zamba is one of five one-year-old male lion cubs kept in Outeniqua Game Reserve in Ruiterbos in the Outeniqua Mountains. After falling out of a tree about three months ago, Zamba started experiencing problems with his balance. A co-owner, Jurg Olsen, who brought Zamba in, said the balance issues were subtle.

"A regular person wouldn't notice it, but we've been working with lions for years, so we can see something's off," Olsen said.

After various courses of treatment only yielded temporary relief, the veterinarians at Oudtshoorn Veterinary Clinic recommended the MRI.

"One doesn't want to keep a lion medicated indefinitely. We'd rather get it right and treat him once, before it becomes a bigger problem," Olson explained.

He said Garden Route Radiology was the only practice able to accommodate Zamba. Weighing in at close to 100kg, the cub will likely still double in weight as it matures.

Zamba arrived at Garden Route Radiology outpatient centre just as the sun was setting behind the Outeniqua Mountains and crisp evening air was setting in.

VIDEO - Young lion gets MRI at human facility:

While there was a transport crate on the back of the Toyota Land Cruiser used to transport the young predator to George, he arrived sedated on the back seat where the team could monitor him.

He did, however, spend the 45-minute trip back home later in the evening in the purpose-built crate while recovering from sedation.

An MRI can take anything from 15 to 90 minutes, depending on the specific scan. Zamba spent about an hour in the magnetic tunnel with Olsen and veterinarian Dr Shaun Sagor by his side.

Radiographer Danielle Grundlingh, veterinarian Dr Shaun Sagor, lion carer Edwin Juma and co-owner Jurg Olsen transfer Zamba from the bakkie to a gurney

The results of the MRI scan will be sent to a specialist veterinarian at Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute in Pretoria for analysis, and hopefully, a clear diagnosis from which the best course of treatment will be determined.

Meanwhile, Danielle Grundlingh, the radiographer who con-ducted the scan, would not be drawn into speculation as to possible causes of the cub's imbalance as it falls outside the scope of her expertise.

In view of the fact that Zamba, no matter how cute, remains a dangerous predator, the procedure was done after hours when the outpatient centre was closed to the public. The practice's manager, Mikael Coquiller, explains:

"At Garden Route Radiology, we strive to provide a safe and hygienic environment for our patients and our staff.

That's why the lion cub's MRI examination was done after hours at 17:30, while the outpatient centre was closed to the public and it [the procedure] was managed by the veterinarian's professional team.

"It allowed us to follow the adapted disinfection protocols in the evening and ensured that the MRI room and the practice remain fully safe and hygienic for the following patients in the morning."

Jurg Olsen and the team of radiologists, including Daniella Grundlingh, Amy Bemetz, Rozanne Paulsen, Schalk van Aswegen and Dr Reinhardt Dreyer, as well as veterinatian Dr Shaun Sagor, prepare Zamba for his MRI scan.