WASHINGTON – The National Zoo’s giant panda cub had his third veterinary checkup Thursday, which found him in good health, weighing 4.2 pounds and measuring 17 inches.
“A solid little Tonka truck,” pronounced chief veterinarian Suzan Murray after the 14-minute exam that began at 7:33 a.m.
The cub gained 1.6 pounds since his last physical on Aug. 8, and had grown nearly 3 inches. At birth July 9, the cub probably weighed a quarter-pound and was only a few inches long.
The cub’s heart and lungs sounded healthy, Murray said. His eyes have not opened yet, but Murray said they seem about to do so. Veterinarians also noted a gum ridge that is the precursor to teeth, though teeth are not expected to appear for several weeks.
Unlike the past two exams, both mother and cub were relaxed, Murray said. The cub even appeared to doze off, and Mei Xiang, who was separated from her offspring by a closed door during the checkup, did not respond when the door opened again, Murray said.
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