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Sidebar: To Cut or Not to Cut? Common cuttlefish (Mehgan
Murphy/NZP) Veterinarians prescribed oral antibiotics for a
common cuttlefish in 2007 after its right cornea became
inflamed. The medication was injected into the cuttlefish’s
food—a shrimp—daily. Several days later, there was no sign of
infection. Yet the veterinary team also discovered that the
cuttlefish had cataracts in both eyes. That raised a tough
question: Should the vets operate? The zoo’s veterinary team is
capable of operating on cuttlefish, which they sedate by putting
anesthetic in the water. But surgery always involves some stress
and risk for the patient.The veterinarians decided against
operating. Cuttlefish cataracts are often a sign of aging, and
these creatures rarely make it past the ripe old age of two. So
surgery would be an invasive, risky option with little chance of
long-term benefits. The animal’s quality of life, veterinarians
concluded, would be better served by lett