GOOD PATIENT: Doyle, 19, gently clasps the finger of vet nurse Angelina Martelli as he is anaesthetised for his surgery in The Nest, Wellington Zoo's hospital.
Doyle, the capuchin monkey, was only scheduled to have a wound stitched up, but vets took the opportunity to ensure he left the animal hospital with shiny teeth too.
The 19-year-old capuchin held on to the finger of vet nurse Angelina Martelli when he was treated yesterday by vets at Wellington Zoo's hospital, The Nest, where they made the most of Doyle being under anaesthetic.
Communications adviser Kate Baker said Doyle had a wound on his arm so deep the bone was exposed.
Zoo staff were not certain, but it was possible he suffered the gash in a "fight".
Although small wounds were usually left to heal by themselves, vets decided that Doyle needed to be put under anaesthetic for surgery.
However, while he was under – a rare occurrence – they also took the opportunity to take some blood samples and clean his teeth.
"They were in very bad condition. Two teeth actually came out during the cleaning."
Doyle was the "alpha male" of the zoo's 14 capuchin monkeys, and once the procedures were over, Ms Baker said vets were keen to get him back to the others who lived on Monkey Island. "If he was gone too long, there might start to be dominance issues."
Just before he went, vets played one more unscheduled trick on Doyle – tying a big yellow bandage on his tail.
The bandage was not there to protect any wounds, however, it was to distract Doyle from picking at his stitches.
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