CHICAGO - [size=-1]In what her keepers call "Maggie's Extreme Makeover," one of Brookfield Zoo's female orangutans has had her appearance and zeal restored through treatment for a previously undiagnosed thyroid condition. [/size]
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In addition to healthier-looking skin and fur, Maggie has dropped 90 pounds and no longer snores or suffers from the flatulence, runny nose and constipation that once plagued her.
Before Maggie's thyroid condition was diagnosed last year, keepers had tried unsuccessfully to get the 43-year-old orang to shed some pounds. Male orangutans didn't interest her either, but she sought comfort from her keepers.
"She had severe headaches, and when she was in the off-viewing areas, she would come and lean her forehead on the front of the cage so that we could massage her temples," zoo keeper Carol Sodaro said. "Sometimes she fell asleep like that."
Keepers were stumped about what was wrong with Maggie, who was born in 1961 at the San Diego Zoo and is one of the oldest female orangutans in the country. Then, Sodaro heard about an orangutan at another zoo who suffered from similar problems and was successfully treated for a thyroid condition.
Blood tests were subsequently performed on Maggie by a University of Chicago endocrinologist and they showed she suffered from a hypothyroid, or underactive thyroid condition, which can hinder a person's metabolism and energy levels.
Maggie was prescribed thyroxin to balance her body chemistry and that increased her metabolism to help her lose weight. The rust-colored orang became more alert after she was put on a high-fiber diet and her keepers put her on an exercise program.
The thyroid treatment also has Maggie looking for love because it regulated her menstrual cycle and jump-started her desire to mate. Maggie, who socialized little when she first arrived at the suburban Chicago zoo in 1995, is now paying more attention to the male orangutans, officials said.
"She's been chasing them around," Sodaro said.
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In addition to healthier-looking skin and fur, Maggie has dropped 90 pounds and no longer snores or suffers from the flatulence, runny nose and constipation that once plagued her.
Before Maggie's thyroid condition was diagnosed last year, keepers had tried unsuccessfully to get the 43-year-old orang to shed some pounds. Male orangutans didn't interest her either, but she sought comfort from her keepers.
"She had severe headaches, and when she was in the off-viewing areas, she would come and lean her forehead on the front of the cage so that we could massage her temples," zoo keeper Carol Sodaro said. "Sometimes she fell asleep like that."
Keepers were stumped about what was wrong with Maggie, who was born in 1961 at the San Diego Zoo and is one of the oldest female orangutans in the country. Then, Sodaro heard about an orangutan at another zoo who suffered from similar problems and was successfully treated for a thyroid condition.
Blood tests were subsequently performed on Maggie by a University of Chicago endocrinologist and they showed she suffered from a hypothyroid, or underactive thyroid condition, which can hinder a person's metabolism and energy levels.
Maggie was prescribed thyroxin to balance her body chemistry and that increased her metabolism to help her lose weight. The rust-colored orang became more alert after she was put on a high-fiber diet and her keepers put her on an exercise program.
The thyroid treatment also has Maggie looking for love because it regulated her menstrual cycle and jump-started her desire to mate. Maggie, who socialized little when she first arrived at the suburban Chicago zoo in 1995, is now paying more attention to the male orangutans, officials said.
"She's been chasing them around," Sodaro said.
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