What's the old saying? How do you give a gorilla a cardiac exam?
Very carefully.
Because he's getting up there in age, 33-year-old J.J., one of Zoo Miami's gorillas, received a full exam that included an echocardiogram and electrocardiogram on Thursday.
J.J's examination was performed by Dr. Alan Schwartz, a human cardiologist, who had no problems with the 475-pound gorilla.
The exam and all the procedures were done as part of a long term study designed to better understand ongoing problems that J.J. as had with hypertension.
Doctors were pleased with J.J.'s condition, although they added that the gorilla needed to lose a little weight. J.J. will spend the rest of Thursday recovering and waiting for the anesthesia to wear off, but is expected to return to the gorilla exhibit by the weekend.
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