16 September 2020

We conducted a safe and effective immobilization of Boltz on Tuesday, September 15th.  Staff and our Veterinarian from the Ely Vet clinic were extremely patient to avoid causing Boltz any undo stress with the process.  He did extremely well with exceptional vital signs during the event which lasted much longer than a normal exam.  He received a complete MRI of his spine and a brain scan to determine the possible cause of the lack of stability experienced over the last few weeks.  The imagery will be sent to the University of Minnesota Neurology lab for analysis.  We also gathered enough blood for a full panel, a complete blood count and saved some blood to allow for additional testing as needed.  He is also being tested for Blastomycosis, a fungal infection that can be caused by inhaling fungal spores.  After arriving back at the Wolf Care Center, he spent the night inside and will remain in the adjacent Pack Holding Area until we can determine the exact cause of his condition.  At this time, we don’t know if he will rejoin the Exhibit Pack, we need to make sure he is healthy, not only physically, but that he is psychologically ready to join the pack.  Separation from the pack can impact rank and Boltz had some significant challenges in dealing with pack dominance in the past.  We will keep you posted via the wolf logs, but at this time, we will not be featuring him on a webcam, but will be monitoring 24 hours a day on surveillance.