Hopper’s top-class care

By Kath Gannaway
“There’s quite a bit of grass in there,” he observed as he began an operation on patient Rosie who was suffering from a chronic infection after having a tooth removed.
Under normal circumstances, his theatre colleague might have winced a little, but not Dr Phillipa Mason.
The Healesville Sanctuary veterinarian had enlisted the help of Mr Hookey to treat Rosie, a kangaroo with a fistula (hole) inside her mouth which had not healed, allowing food up into her nasal cavity and causing infection.
The fistula needed to be surgically closed.
Mr Hookey explained the situation was similar to that often experienced by humans with a cleft palate. Rosie’s problems however started with her diet. She was hand-raised by humans before arriving at Healesville Sanctuary and as a result of an inappropriate diet needed to have several teeth removed.
Scrubbed, gowned and masked Mr Hookey, assisted by Dr Mason and vet nurse Kelly Wynn, gave Rosie the closure she so badly needed.
The operation itself was not so different to his usual work, Mr Hookey said.
“It’s a very similar anatomy to humans; the teeth are different and the nasal space is bigger, but the closure is carried out in the same way,” he said.
Mr Hookey said he welcomed the opportunity to work with the Healesville Sanctuary veterinary team and added he was very impressed with the excellent facilities at the Australian Wildlife Centre.