Tush the leopard undergoes successful surgery to remove large growth

A leopard at Moncton's Magnetic Hill Zoo underwent a successful surgery to remove a lump. 

The Amur leopard, Tush, had the large growth removed from her leg on Feb. 13 and has spent the last two weeks recovering.

Jill Marvin, the zoo's director, said veterinarians noticed the lump on the leopard but deemed it insignificant in 2018.

"The veterinary team did have a look at it and figured that it was just a lipoma and it was just a fatty tissue growing there," Marvin said.

This year, however, vets noticed the lump had grown and that Tush wasn't looking as healthy. 

"Her coat was just not looking as good as it normally was." 

The procedure to remove the lump took about 50 minutes and was conducted by a five-person veterinarian squad. Tush was injected with anesthesia to prevent her from waking up during the procedure.

During the operation, another small lump was discovered near her spine and there was a hole in one of her teeth, but she was otherwise in great health. 

Tush is not back in her enclosure yet because she has a tendency to lick her stitches, but Marvin said the leopard's wound from the operation has healed.

"She's back to her sassy self," Marvin said. 

"Some people or certain people she really, really likes and there's other people that she's sassy and she's got an attitude."

Tush is 16 years old and turns 17 in May. The Amur leopard has an average life expectancy of 10 to 20 years and is a critically endangered species.