COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZoo) says it is monitoring its 22-year-old grizzly bear, Emmett, after they say an aggressive form of cancer the bear was dealing with earlier this year has returned.
READ MORE: Bear at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo to have surgery after cancer diagnosis
The zoo says Emmett was initially treated after he began growing a lump on his tail, which was later revealed to be cancerous. Emmett underwent successful surgery to remove the cancerous mass in February.
READ MORE: Bear at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo undergoes successful cancer surgery
Now, the zoo says the aggressive form of cancer has returned, and its team is working to keep him comfortable as they manage the wound at the cancer-site. They say they they are prepared to move Emmett towards hospice care if and when it is time.
CMZoo says despite veterinarians at the time saying, "We got good margins," the cancer had returned. The zoo says Emmett had a few "off days" recently, including having low energy and a lower appetite. According to officials, Emmett perked up a little over the last few days and received injections to help manage discomfort.
The zoo says it will continue to monitor Emmett's health, including any potential treatment options, but is balancing it with his quality of life at the moment. According to data cited by the zoo, grizzly bears typically live between 20 and 30 years in human care.
Emmett first came to the zoo in 2007 with companion, Digger, after the two were labeled "nuisance bears" after negative interactions with humans, CMZoo says.
Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.
The post Cheyenne Mountain Zoo monitoring 22-year-old grizzly bear after ‘aggressive’ cancer returns appeared first on KRDO.
