Sick Pakistan tigress scanned

Sick Pakistan tigress scanned

By Shahid Malik
BBC correspondent in Lahore

A rare white tigress in Pakistan has become the first ever animal in the country's history to undergo a CT scan.

Lahore zoo is home to several tigers

The procedure took place at the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital in Lahore.

Five-year-old Brita was referred for the specialist scan by a team of vets working for a local institute of animal husbandry.

The move followed concerns expressed by the authorities at the zoo that the animal was suffering from "fits".

"Tests have been completed and we are waiting for reports so that the tigress can be put on further treatment," Raja Mohammad Javed, director of Lahore Zoo, told the BBC.

The tigress has suddenly fallen ill and we hope she gets well soon

Zoo director Raja Mohammad Javed

"She was given an antibiotic course on the advice of local doctors but she showed no signs of improvement.

"We then consulted doctors... and gave her a dose of tranquilisers but she is not improving."

Diagnosis

"Brita was brought to the hospital in a Red Crescent air conditioned ambulance and the procedure was performed under full anaesthesia," a hospital source told the BBC.

A board consisting of three radiologists is now working towards establishing a detailed diagnosis.

The team hope to finalise their results before the weekend.

Shaukat Khanum Hospital is a state-of-the-art medical facility for the treatment of cancer.

Princess Diana played a role in raising funds for the centre which was set up nine years ago by a trust headed by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan.

The hospital was also the target of a bomb attack in 1998.

CT stands for Computed Tomography imaging and is sometimes called "CAT scanning" (Computed Axial Tomography).

It combines the use of a special computer with a rotating x-ray machine to create detailed cross sectional images of internal organs such as the brain, lungs, liver and kidneys.

The images are sometimes called "slices".