Treating patients @Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital

Squeak the koala joey reunited with her mother after being separated during a dog attack.

Squeak the koala joey was brought to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital after a terrifying encounter with a dog left her in desperate need of care. While Squeak’s mother, Toya, managed to escape up a tree, little Squeak was left behind – cold, covered in saliva, and alone. A local wildlife rescue group was quickly on the scene and brought Squeak to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for triage and assessment.

Upon admission, Squeak was placed in a temperature-controlled enclosure for warmth, as she was cold and showing signs of stress. Thankfully, her thorough assessment revealed no puncture wounds, but it did uncover mild abdominal bleeding and dehydration. The team quickly began treating Squeak’s injuries and monitoring her closely in the intensive care unit. Meanwhile, efforts were underway to locate her mother, in the hopes of reuniting them.

The very next morning, Toya, Squeak’s mother, was found nearby and brought to the hospital for assessment. While she showed no visible wounds from her encounter with the dog, a further examination revealed she had contracted chlamydiosis cystitis—a painful infection common in koalas caused by the bacterial disease chlamydia. This condition can result in inflammation of the urinary tract, changes to renal and bladder function, and, if left untreated, can severely impact a koala’s health.

Despite the challenges, Toya and Squeak were successfully reunited in the ICU. The team kept them together while ensuring both received the best possible care. Due to the contagious nature of chlamydia, Squeak had also developed the infection, requiring additional treatment and monitoring.

Now, a few months into their recovery journey, Squeak and Toya are showing promising signs of improvement. Under the dedicated care of the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital team, they are steadily regaining their strength. As they continue their treatment, the goal remains clear: to return Squeak and Toya to their wild home, where they can thrive once more.

Australia's wildlife is uniquely its own and much-loved by the world, yet it’s disappearing at an alarming rate. Road traffic, domestic animal attacks, and land clearing have left many animals fighting for survival. The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital is giving sick, injured and orphaned wildlife a second chance. Each year, over 10,000 animals are brought to the hospital for lifesaving treatment. As one of the world’s largest and busiest purpose-built wildlife hospitals, we play a vital role in saving Australia’s native species—one life at a time.