When we have an animal in our care, we do what we can to help them live the best life possible. This means providing them with good food, a warm place to sleep, and the medical attention needed.

This isn't only true for people who have a cat or dog in their home; it's also true of zookeepers, who care for the larger and more exotic animals in our local areas.

Photo: YouTube / News 8 WROC

Zookeepers may care for a variety of different types of animals, including elephants, lions, monkeys, and giraffes. It is the latter that we are discussing here, as a 6-year-old female giraffe named Kipenzi is having a health crisis.

Kipenzi has a tumor, and it is growing. She is a giraffe staying at the Seneca Park Zoo, and they knew that she needed help. That help would come in the form of a biopsy, one that would allow them to go in and see what the problem was.

This is a high-risk procedure, especially for a giraffe, but it was one they decided needed to be done. Kipenzi had already been put on medication, and there were imaging tests done, but they feel that the biopsy is necessary to provide more specific assistance.

One thing that they know is that the tumor is growing, and it is affecting her ability to eat. Without intervention from the kind caregivers at the zoo, Kipenzi may not be able to survive.

Photo: YouTube / News 8 WROC

As you can imagine, there is a risk with anesthetizing a giraffe. The same risk is there when you put a human under, but it is necessary to help.

After taking a closer look at the growth, they will know how it is affecting her ability to breathe, her throat, and even her teeth.

The zoo was able to do the biopsy, and Kipenzi was given a guarded prognosis. They aren't yet sure what the tumor is yet, but the news isn't good if it is malignant.

Unfortunately, if the tumor is malignant, they may not be able to help Kipenzi any further.

Let's hope for the best. You can see more in this video:

https://youtu.be/5-4CTFnMs14