Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s beloved 21-year-old grizzly bear, Emmett, is making good progress in his cancer journey. In February, his care team, in collaboration with CSU Veterinary Health System and Focused Ultrasound Resources, removed a cancerous mass from his tail.
Emmett fans from all over the world shared messages of support for the bear and his team, embarking on a rare surgical treatment for a grizzly. The team received excellent pathology results: the surgery seems to have been successful at removing all of the cancerous cells in that area. As the veterinarians say and many people will understand, “We got good margins.”
Emmett has been, “the most patient bear,” according to Rebecca Zwicker, Rocky Mountain Wild animal care manager. Pun intended. He has been an exemplary patient, participating in his recovery care with unbelievable consistency.
Daily, his care team and the CMZoo veterinary team ask Emmett to walk over to a fence, where they could monitor his surgical site and clean it through a protective barrier.
“Emmett is incredibly intelligent, and he ultimately trusts his keepers so much that he was willing to present his tail end, where his surgical incision is, and stand there while we flushed it with saline and applied healing ointments,” Rebecca says. “By mid-March, he wasn’t healing as quickly as expected, so we decided to get a closer look and offer more treatment while he was under anesthesia.”
Since that secondary immobilization, Emmett continues to make great progress with his care team’s support. He receives antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and pain medications. He has been eating, drinking water, moving around, and engaging with enrichment activities well, in addition to his care training sessions at least once a day. He has even relied on his existing ‘sit’ behavior to help his care team adhere his bandage to his backside.
“After we clean the area, we place a new bandage to help keep debris out of the surgical wound,” Rebecca says. “The bandage is adhesive, but at first we couldn’t get it to stick reliably to his bare bear bum. So, we asked him to sit, and that helps give that last little push to help the adhesive stay in place. Like I said, he’s the best.”
Spring is in the air on Cheyenne Mountain. This time of year, the two grizzlies, Emmett and Digger, are energized after winter. To help Emmett recover better, he’s staying in an indoor/outdoor space next to the main yards. This helps keep Emmett out of the water and out of wrestling matches with Digger.
“These two boys have lived together for nearly twenty years, and on occasion have spent time apart, like they’re experiencing now,” Rebecca says. “Digger and Emmett still have access to each other through a fence, and we see them huffing a friendly huff and checking in with each other. Once Emmett shows us he’s nice and healed, we’ll bring him back to the main yard to see his adoring fans and his buddy, Digger. Then, the wrestling matches can resume.”
Until then, Emmett will be in the grizzlies’ overnight space, which has a comfy den and a yard where he can enjoy the sunshine. His keepers are providing lots of company, along with Digger’s visits. His care team also monitors Emmett though a surveillance camera system, which has provided the team with lots of hope for Emmett’s future.
“We’ve seen him using his fresh hay piles to make the perfect cozy bed, and we’ve seen him lying in the sunshine, playing with enrichment items and seemingly enjoying life,” Rebecca says. “Of course, we’re going to this effort because we believe we can give Emmett more life than he’d have without this treatment. I still believe we made the right choice for him, and we’ll keep monitoring his behaviors and support him however he needs us to.”
Emmett is not a young bear, by any means, but with this treatment and successful recovery, he could live for many more years. When any animal is in recovery at CMZoo, their care teams monitor their medical needs and their behavioral needs. If Emmett was to show signs of distress in his current setup, his care team would reassess. For now, he seems to be enjoying himself and the quiet lifestyle is helping him heal.
CMZoo will continue to provide Emmett updates, especially when he returns to public view. Until then, grizzly fans can visit Digger in Rocky Mountain Wild every day.