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Python named Jodie Foster first snake to receive pioneering cancer treatment

From The Guardian · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A 15-foot reticulated python named Jodie Foster at Chester Zoo is the first snake globally to undergo pioneering cancer treatment.
  • The 23-year-old python, weighing 50kg, received electrochemotherapy, a procedure typically used on humans, for a jaw tumor.
  • Keepers noticed Jodie Foster was unwell due to reduced eating and inactivity, prompting concern.

A 15-foot reticulated python named Jodie Foster has become the first snake in the world to receive a groundbreaking cancer treatment. The 23-year-old reptile, a resident of Chester Zoo, underwent electrochemotherapy, a pioneering procedure usually reserved for human patients, to treat a tumor in her jaw.

Jodie Foster, weighing approximately 50kg, is reportedly "back to her usual feisty self" following the successful treatment. Keepers at the zoo became concerned about her health when they observed a decrease in her appetite and prolonged periods of inactivity within her enclosure.

This innovative treatment offers new hope for reptilian health and highlights the advanced medical care available at zoological institutions. The successful application of human-grade cancer therapy on a snake marks a significant milestone in veterinary medicine.

back to her usual feisty self

— Chester Zoo keepersDescribing the python's recovery after the pioneering cancer treatment.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Guardian. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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