A veterinarian diagnosed Mishka with asthma after determining she was
struggling to breathe by listening to her chest and taking her blood
work.
Now Mishka is learning to use an inhaler and responding well.
One-year-old Mishka is the first sea otter to have asthma, the aquarium has said, and is receiving the same medication given to humans. Aquarium biologist Sara Perry is using food to train Mishka to push her nose on the inhaler and then take a breath.
"We try to make it as fun as possible," she said.
Mishka, who has been at the aquarium since January, is reportedly
responding well.
Washington sea otters became extinct in 1910 due to hunting and did not
return to the state until the late 1960s when some otters were moved in
from Alaska.
One-year-old Mishka is the first sea otter to have asthma, the aquarium has said, and is receiving the same medication given to humans. Aquarium biologist Sara Perry is using food to train Mishka to push her nose on the inhaler and then take a breath.
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