Did I mention how glad I am Ellen went into small animal medicine? Why am I grateful? Because otherwise Maggie would've ended up at our house:

When Maggie [the orangutan] arrived at Brookfield in 1995 from the Milwaukee Zoo, she was a big, fat mess.

Tipping the scales at an obese 200 pounds, she was lazy, snored terribly, had an awful case of gas and was constipated.
...
Maggie's real problem was confirmed: a hyperthyroid condition.
...
Tuesday, the zoo showed off the "new'' Maggie. Though her before-and-after pix may not reveal a difference, she is 90 pounds lighter, with a complexion perfect for an orangutan: dark and oily. Her reddish hair is now soft and shiny. She's sleeping more soundly and -- with that snoring and flatulence problem under control -- more quietly.

Ellen has to deal with hyperthyroid cats all the time, talks about it constantly. Never knew it could happen to bigger critters.

Ook!