SEATTLE - Last night, Woodland Park Zoo animal health staff responded to an emergency call to treat an ailing 9-year-old giraffe. Despite medical treatment and persistent efforts to save the female, zoo officials opted to euthanize Ain, pronounced eye-EEN.

According to zoo Senior Veterinarian Dr. Janis Joslin, Ain had suffered from chronic diarrhea and weight loss intermittently this winter. "We administered medication on Saturday and a second dosage Sunday to deal with the problem." However, Ain appeared to react adversely to Sunday’s medication and, in spite of additional medication to treat the adverse reaction, the giraffe’s condition worsened. Zoo staff tried to assist as the animal stumbled and was unable to remain on her feet, "but once she was on the ground and continued to traumatize herself, she went into shock. Our only option was to euthanize her," explains Joslin.

Ain was purchased through private donations to the Woodland Park Zoological Society. Since her arrival from Denver Zoo in 1990, the giraffe has had a history of digestion problems. Moreover, Ain was abnormally small for her age. Because of her stunted growth and questionable health, Ain was placed on birth control to prevent any breeding.

Zoo officials will know more about the cause of Ain’s illness and whether she suffered from other health problems following a necropsy today and histopathology results in the next few weeks.

Woodland Park Zoo’s other reticulated giraffes can be found on its African Savanna. Visitors may still enjoy seeing two males, ages 2 and 1*, and two females, ages 17 and 9. The average life span of giraffes is 25 years in zoos.