VANCOUVER - He has thrilled audiences young and old at the Vancouver Aquarium for 14 years, but now Tag the sea lion has been diagnosed with cancer.
Aquarium veterinarians say the cancer was spotted when a biopsy was done during treatment of Tag's ongoing dental problems.
The 640-kilogram Stellar sea lion has squamous cell carcinoma, a form of cancer that, in dogs, is known to spread to adjacent tissues.
Tag has already undergone laser therapy to remove as much of the cancer as possible and has started chemotherapy.
Aquarium vet Dr. Marty Haulena says more procedures will likely be required over the next year and it's hard to offer a prognosis for Tag, who came to the aquarium as a two-week-old pup.
Haulena says Tag's large pool and sunning rocks have been closed off from the public so he can have a quiet recovery.
