Asthmatic Otter Is First To Get Inhaler

An otter in Seattle has been given an inhaler that is identical to the ones used by humans after it was diagnosed with asthma. The Seattle Aquarium gave the animal a full medical after it appeared to be struggling to breathe, with a veterinarian then confirming the otter had a problem in its chest and would need an inhaler.

Mishka is believed to have exacerbated the problem after breathing in smoky air from local wildfires that passed close to the aquarium. They believe it is the first otter ever to get asthma and have given it the same medication that a person would get for the same health issue.

However, they are having to train the one-year-old otter to use the inhaler by using food to get it to take a breath from the device. According to the zookeepers, Mishka is responding well to the medication and progressing well. “We try to make it as fun as possible,” she said in a news release from the aquarium.