Exciting news – we received an ultrasound machine! The machine (pictured below, on the left) comes courtesy of Pacific Vascular in Bothell, WA and is capable of doing cardiac, abdominal, and, as you might have guessed, vascular imaging. A million thanks to Pacific Vascular, to supporter Karen Gates and her son Jack for making the connection and advocating for us, and to Bob for giving us a tutorial.
Providence Medical Center in Everett, WA has come through again, this time with a centrifuge (below, on the right). Thanks Dan!
And Kittitas Valley Healthcare has donated both an endoscopy tower and a mayo stand. Thank you Judi and everyone at KVH!
We’re still looking for a steam autoclave, a laryngoscope, and a portable x-ray machine. And ideally, we’d love to have a second, more portable, ultrasound machine for doing imaging inside the chimp house when the chimps aren’t under anesthesia (especially for Burrito). So if you know of any companies that might be willing to donate these items, please let us know!
Awesome! So happy for you and the chimps.
A very cheerful and modern medical facility
How absolutely wonderful!!!! I think maybe the US is finally starting to realize that these beautiful souls should never have been put through what they were and that in itself is very good to know.
I have to tell you that the two photos you sent me of Annie and Missy are going to such good use – they are framed an hanging in my little 2 1/2 year old granddaughter’s room I just fixed up for her when she stays with me. Her favorite animals already are “monkeys” of course at her age she doesn’t know the difference between the Chimps and Monkeys.
So, they are also making a wee one very happy.
Love to all of you there!
Wanda
EXCELLENT news for the CE7, caregivers and Vet!!
Excellent Segway for some medical questions (and some not).
Does Burrito get treated (or will he someday) with the same heart medications and treatments as a human with the same condition?
Does Burrito ?mate gaurd? (Not sure of the proper term) any of the girls when they’re in heat? (Not sure the proper term) If not, is he ever expected to?
Do the female chimps show any “pms” type of signs when they swell?
Is there a reason some females (Jamie especially) swell more than others? Is it related to a higher level of hormones?
Do the girls show any signs of interest in sex?
Hi Kerri –
1) Burrito has been on medication for congestive heart disease for over a year now. These are the same medications that a physician might prescribe to a human patient, and Burrito has responded well to them. Some are diuretics, which help remove excess fluid from the body, and others work to increase the effectiveness of the heart.
2) Burrito does become more interested in the females when they are in estrus, but because he is the only male, there is no one to mate guard against. Burrito does not display any normal mating behavior and had never copulated with any of the females at CSNW. This is most likely a result of his abnormal upbringing (being raised by humans).
3) As a male, I should tread carefully here 🙂 But yes, the simplest way to put it would be to say that the females become more or less social during different parts of their cycles. And the females’ cycles affect male behavior too – not just with mate guarding but with overall levels of aggressive and affinitive behaviors as well.
4) I don’t know the answer to this question, but I’ll try to find out. There is a lot of research on the function and timing of sexual swellings, but I don’t know of any on baseline differences in size between females.
5) Not with Burrito. Early on, Jamie actually presented when Burrito approached, but they did not successfully copulate. We also may have seen Negra present once, but that was unsuccessful as well. Aside from those two instances, there have been no signs that the females seek to mate with Burrito. We know that most of the females gave birth in the lab, so it is most likely a function of Burrito’s upbringing that we do not see any mating behavior (and this is not uncommon in captive chimps).
Thanks!!!