Edinburgh Zoo reveals male panda Yang Guang underwent scan for colic

MALE panda Yang Guang has undergone a medical investigation under general anaesthetic to treat a severe bout of colic, The Scotsman has learned.

The panda was treated by veterinary surgeons in January – at the same time that Edinburgh Zoo announced that he was suffering from an attack of the stomach complaint and less than a month after Yang Guang and Tian Tian became the first giant pandas to live in the UK for 17 years.

An ultrasound scan – akin to those given to pregnant women and humans suffering stomach problems – was carried out, as well as blood tests and an endoscopy, where a camera is inserted into the bowel to get a clear picture of any internal problems.

New pictures of the panda, which arrived in Edinburgh in December, show the animal’s bald stomach where the medical team shaved Yang Guang to allow the ultrasound and blood sampling to take place.

Although eight-year-old Yang Guang appears to have made a strong recovery from his ordeal, the zoo’s veterinary team was concerned enough that the exploratory tests – to rule out blockages or bacterial infection – were deemed necessary.

It is understood the Chinese authorities – who have kept in close contact with the zoo since the pandas move to Edinburgh, offering veterinary advice – were informed of the procedure.

A spokeswoman for the zoo said: “In mid-January, Yang Guang underwent some minor, helpful tests to ascertain if he had colic and we had to shave a little bit of his stomach fur. We were pleased to find there was no sign of anything wrong with him, only traces of mucus consistent with colic.”

Vets had treated the panda with anti-inflammatory medication to try to ease the colic, but were concerned that he was not responding quickly to treatment. The spokeswoman added: “Pandas get colic fairly regularly and it consists of trapped gas and mucus in their stools.

“Our vets performed the procedures to make sure there was no bacterial cause and no obstructions, neither of which were present and a diagnosis of colic was confirmed.”

In early January, the zoo announced Yang Guang had colic and took him off public display for two weeks – but at the time, Edinburgh Zoo vet Romain Pizzi played down any fears over the pandas’ health. Colic is a common condition that in humans affects about one in five babies. Its cause is unknown.

“Colic is not uncommon in giant pandas and is not a great cause for concern,” Mr Pizzi said at the time. “Pandas have sensitive digestive systems and it is likely Tian Tian and Yang Guang are simply adapting to eating slightly different bamboo.”

The panda’s illness in January was likened to a “travel tummy bug” by Mathew Brash, vice- president of the British Veterinary Zoological Society. Their digestive systems had been upset as they adjusted to different types of bamboo from those they were used to in China.

The zoo has a £70,000-a-year contract with a Dutch bamboo farm run by Reiner Winkendick to ship in 85 per cent of the pandas bamboo needs every two weeks. The food, which is transported by ship and lorry, is kept in a dedicated storage facility to ensure maximum freshness.

About 25 species of the plant are fed to the pandas – five kinds every day – to ensure a varied diet, while their menu will change depending on the time of year, reflecting natural behaviour in the wild.

Some bamboo is also grown at sites around the zoo itself and it is hoped that, eventually, a higher proportion of the plant will be harvested from Scotland.

In January, after some time away from the public eye, it was announced that the male panda had passed a pellet of “panda slime”, which the zoo said was a sign that his colic was clearing and had boosted his energy levels. However, it is believed that the medical procedures took place during his two weeks behind closed doors.

Tian Tian, who had a milder form of the illness, made a quicker recovery and did not require any exploratory medical procedure.

It is hoped that the pair, who have both been parents before – but not together –will breed during their time in Scotland.

Yang Guang’s recovery has come just in time. Tian Tian is currently thought to be displaying signs of coming into heat – a situation which occurs only once a year – while Yang Guang has been spotted eating about twice his usual quantity of bamboo: a sign that he is trying to bulk up for the breeding season and get himself in the best possible condition.

Female pandas ovulate just once a year and are fertile for only two days afterwards.

Although Tian Tian’s hormone levels show she is not yet in heat, experts are keeping a close eye on her – with urine samples sent by courier to the UK’s top endocrinologist each morning for tests.

A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which helped negotiate the deal with the Chinese authorities, said that the pandas health was an issue dealt with by the zoo directly.