Tala, our 12-year-old gray wolf, recently had a special veterinary appointment at Northwest Trek, and we’re happy to share that it was a success. During Tala’s physical exam last fall, our veterinary team detected a heart murmur. Heart murmurs can be indicators that an animal has heart disease, which may require treatment. To further diagnose her heart condition, we welcomed visiting veterinary cardiologist Dr. Nadolny, who came to Northwest Trek to perform a detailed heart exam right here on site. With Tala comfortably under sedation, our animal care team, led by Head Veterinarian Dr. Kadie Anderson, worked closely with Dr. …

Black cats, pumpkins, ghosts, skulls, and skeletons symbolize the Halloween season. We asked Northwest Trek’s animal care team, Head Veterinarian Dr. Kadie Anderson and Veterinary Technician Tracy Cramer, to give us an “inside” look at a few of the wildlife park’s animals and their not-so-spooky skeletons. The animal care team regularly takes radiographs (X-rays) of the animals to assess their health and care for them. Sullivan the Cougar Check out Sullivan the cougar cub’s X-rays from when he received care for a limp. This image shows the growth plates in his front legs. Since Sullivan is still growing, the growth …

During gray wolf Canagan’s triennial examination in November, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park’s head veterinarian, Dr. Allison Case, identified an infection in one of his molars. Canagan was given antibiotics while Dr. Case consulted with a veterinary dentist. Together, they decided the tooth needed to be extracted. Wolf molars are one of the more difficult teeth to extract – they are big with two extra-large roots. Associate Veterinarian Dr. Cassidy Soehnlein was tasked with the tough job. As Dr. Soehnlein and Veterinary Technician Tracy intubated Canagan and got him settled under anesthesia, Dr. Case and keeper Haley also took the opportunity …

Will the wolves be howling at the moon? If you look to the sky on Jan. 25, you will see a full moon traditionally known as the “Wolf” Moon. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the names for full moons come from a number of places, including Native American groups, colonial Americans or other traditional North American names passed down through generations. The name of the January moon is derived from wolves, which tend to howl more often in the winter months. So why do wolves howl? To find their pack members and communicate with them in many different ways, …

February is National Dental Month and gray wolf Canagan’s story of early intervention highlights the importance of maintaining those chompers.  Our Head Veterinarian, Dr. Allison Case, examined our three wolves for a routine checkup in November. Working with our sister zoo, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Dr. Case x-rayed our male wolf Canagan’s molar for a closer look. Canagan has a minor infection and is receiving antibiotics. His pearly whites and overall health for a 10-year-old wolf are stable. Dr. Case will follow up with a veterinary dentist on the next steps for Canagan.

Once upon a time there were two wolf species: red wolves and gray wolves. Neither of them were “big and bad,” but they were often feared by humans. Over time, more and more were hunted. By 1940 gray wolves were decimated in the American wild and by the 1970s, so were red wolves. It was time for the story’s hero to step in. “Humans have a long history of blaming predators for problems, like wolves and grizzly bears,” says Marc Heinzman, zoological curator at Northwest Trek. “But scientific data shows that’s just not true in all cases.” While it’s true …

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park’s three gray wolves were given a clean bill of health at their triennial exams last week.   “Tala weighs 39.1 kilograms or about 86 pounds,” said head veterinarian, Dr. Allison Case.   On average, gray wolves weigh 75 to 110 pounds. That meant 7-year-old Tala, a gray wolf with a white coat, was already on the right track to a healthy doctor’s appointment.   Dr. Case made sure Tala’s exam was as comfortable as possible. She put down a warm blanket, gave her eye drops and sprayed her tongue with water.   “It’s all about the …