Ask the Expert: How do you X-ray Different Zoo Animals? 

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In every issue of the ‘hood Magazine, we ask local experts questions that are helpful for our community! This Ask the Expert was printed in the April 2025 Issue of ‘hood. Check out the full digital issue at the link! 

Question: How do you x-ray different zoo animals? 

The zoo has three different x-ray machines:

– A digital tabletop x-ray unit for everything from an armadillo to a bear

– A large portable x-ray unit that we bring to larger animals, like giraffes

– A smaller dental x-ray unit for detailed images like a tiger root canal or a frog.

Some animals must be sedated to get the images we need. Others are scanned awake with a little creativity – like our chameleon that stood on a scrub brush for his x-ray! Also, we have to use special tape on birds, we can fully extend their wings and legs without damaging their feathers.