How a Utah zoo team CT scanned a 400-pound crocodile

Utah’s Hogle Zoo and University of Utah Health recently teamed up to CT scan Bill, a 10-foot-long, nearly 400-pound, 61-year-old Siamese crocodile after keepers noticed decreased appetite, weight loss, and abdominal bloating despite normal bloodwork. The April 24 announcement said the scan required a 20-plus-person transport team, custom restraint and support, mild sedation, and a two-pass imaging approach because Bill was longer than the scanner table. The CT found several gastric stones, which are normal in crocodiles but may be contributing to his symptoms, and no evidence of cancer. Bill has since returned to his habitat and is reportedly showing less bloating, better appetite, and more energy. (healthcare.utah.edu)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the case is a useful reminder that advanced imaging can answer questions that routine bloodwork cannot, especially in geriatric exotic patients with challenging anatomy and handling risks. It also highlights the operational side of zoological medicine: cross-institution coordination, species-specific restraint and sedation planning, manual CT parameter adjustment for unusual body conformation, and quality-of-life decision-making when findings are clinically relevant but intervention carries its own risk. Crocodilians also present well-known imaging challenges because of their armor, size, and handling constraints, making access to CT and standardized imaging protocols especially valuable in captive care. (healthcare.utah.edu)

What to watch: Hogle Zoo said its veterinary team is now weighing the pros and cons of stone-removal versus continued monitoring, with decisions guided by Bill’s age, condition, and quality of life. (healthcare.utah.edu)