Quincy the diabetic koala at San Diego Zoo dies
A diabetic koala at the San Diego Zoo was euthanized Dec. 13 after a bout with pneumonia, KNSD reported.
Quincy developed pneumonia a few weeks ago and his health continued to decline, the television station reported.
The marsupial had been fitted with a glucose monitor in June to monitor his Type 1 diabetes, which was diagnosed in February, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
"Quincy was well known to the public for being one of only a few koalas that have been diagnosed with and treated for diabetes," zoo officials said in a statement to KNSD.
Quincy, the diabetic koala that was fitted with a glucose monitor earlier this summer, was euthanized following a bout of pneumonia. https://t.co/zeN43uZF8o
— #NBC7 San Diego (@nbcsandiego) December 21, 2018
Quincy became a model for people with diabetes, particularly children, the television station reported.
"They have something to relate to," Janet Gidner, a spokeswoman for Dexcom, the company that equipped Quincy with the monitor, told KNSD. "They can see that a cute little koala can take on the disease."
Gidner’s two children both have Type 1 diabetes.
Zoo officials said Quincy would be missed.
"(Quincy's) story touched countless people around the globe who are living with diabetes," the zoo told KNSD.
