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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

An Athol Man And His Yak

Lynn Taylor of Athol, Idaho, bonds with his 1,100-pound yak, Makloud, during a visit to the Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Pullman. Doctors believe Makloud may be suffering from complications of a kidney stone. (Charlie Powell / Washington State University)
Lynn Taylor of Athol, Idaho, bonds with his 1,100-pound yak, Makloud, during a visit to the Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Pullman. Doctors believe Makloud may be suffering from complications of a kidney stone. (Charlie Powell / Washington State University)

Ah, the classic story of a man and his yak. Lynn Taylor of Athol, Idaho, and his pet yak, Makloud, are an inseparable duo. Now 8, Makloud is being treated for urinary tract problems at the Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Pullman. The 1,100-pound Makloud was unable to urinate and showed signs of distress. Dr. Ashley Brendenberg discovered a blockage in his lower urethra as well as a nickel-sized hole in his bladder that allowed urine to leak into his abdomen and may have caused some paralysis of the organ. Brendenburg isn't sure what caused the rupture, but hospital spokesman Charlie Powell said it may have been a kidney stone, scar tissue or "a narrowing of the canal with age"/Chad Sokol, SR Extra Credit blog. More here including several more photos.

Question: Did/do you have an unusual pet?



D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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