Treating patients @Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital

Chip the koala joey and his mother, Mrs Potts, were brought to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital after a terrifying dog attack.  Thanks to the safety of his mother’s pouch, Chip appeared unharmed, but sadly Mrs Potts had sustained traumatic injuries. A local wildlife rescue group quickly transported them to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for assessment.

On arrival, the dedicated veterinary team gave both Mrs Potts and Chip a thorough examination. The team found that Mrs Potts had suffered fractured ribs, internal bleeding, and painful soft tissue injuries. She was admitted to the ICU to receive specialised around-the-clock care and treatment, with Chip staying close by her side. 

Chip remained bright and responsive, and the team had no concerns for his health. But just a few days later, Mrs Potts began to rapidly decline. Despite intensive monitoring and treatment, her blood sugar levels fell dangerously low and would not respond to therapy. The veterinary team performed exploratory surgery to investigate further, where they discovered the true extent of her injuries. Inside her abdomen, Mrs Potts was suffering from a life-threatening infection, severe damage to her cecum, and dangerously unstable blood glucose. Tragically, despite every measure of care, Mrs Potts’ critical injuries were beyond recovery.

Now, without his mother, Chip became an orphaned koala joey. The next day Chip was placed into the care of a specialised wildlife carer, where he will be provided with the long-term love and support he needs to be able to return to the wild.

Despite the ever-growing numbers and the costs involved in treating and caring for patients at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, native wildlife is never turned away from help. No matter how small the patient, a life is worth all the time and effort the veterinary team can give. It’s your generous support that makes this lifesaving possible. It was Steve’s belief that by saving one life, we could ultimately save the species.