Wolf from Alaska Zoo Receives Medical Treatment

'Rohn' taken in with lump on lower jaw

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By Lauren Maxwell
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Story Created: Feb 7, 2013 at 5:57 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Feb 7, 2013 at 6:21 PM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - All of us have to go to the doctor from time to time, and today one unusual patient paid a visit to his.

Rohn is one of the wolves at the Alaska Zoo, and veterinarian Riley Wilson was concerned about a lump on his lower jaw.

Wilson said it could be as simple as a toothache or as serious as bone cancer. It was difficult to tell from x-rays what exactly was going on. Wilson said either way, Rohn would require some treatment but, fortunately, the 100-pound wolf is a great patient.

“They’ve been handled their whole lives, since they were two weeks old,” said Wilson, referring to Rohn and his five siblings, who arrived as orphans at the zoo nearly seven years ago.

Wilson said keepers were able to calmly sedate Rohn at the zoo before transporting him to the Pet Stop Clinic in South Anchorage.

“If they aren’t used to that you have to dart them and that’s a lot more stress,” said Wilson. “But these guys handle that type of thing better than most dogs do, so it’s much easier.”

The good news came in later in the afternoon when test results showed Rohn likely needed nothing more than a root canal. Wilson said that will be scheduled soon and that a local endodontist has agreed to do the job.

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