Nova Scotia’s Museum of Natural History has reported that Gus the gopher tortoise has successfully undergone a procedure to remove a urinary stone and is currently in a comfortable resting state. The 104-year-old beloved tortoise, a resident of the museum since 1942, had the surgery on Tuesday. The museum stated in a Facebook post that Gus will be under close observation by his veterinary care team for the next 48 hours before returning to the museum later in the week. Following the surgery, Gus will be recovering behind the scenes for the next eight to 10 weeks, with the museum planning to provide regular updates on his progress.
The discovery of Gus’s urinary stone dates back to 2009, although it had not been causing him any discomfort until recently. A recent CT scan revealed that the stone had grown and was starting to exert pressure on surrounding tissues, prompting the decision to proceed with the surgery. The museum highlighted a newer technique that eliminates the need to cut through Gus’s shell, making the procedure safer and shortening his recovery time.
Before the surgery, the museum expressed confidence in a successful outcome based on Gus’s health and the care provided by his veterinary team. Gus received widespread support from well-wishers around the world ahead of his surgery, with the museum receiving hundreds of letters, get-well cards, and artworks, in addition to thousands of social media messages wishing him a speedy recovery.