Nick the Tasmanian devil is making history.

After medical professionals discovered that San Diego Zoo resident, Nick, had an irregular heartbeat, he became the second Tasmanian devil in the United States to receive a pacemaker.

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Nick's routine healthcare checkup showed he had an arrhythmia, according to a video on the San Diego Zoo website. Cora Singleton, an associate veterinarian, explained that after Nick underwent several additional tests, cardiologists suggested he be given a pacemaker.

Cardiologist Joao Orvalho said that Nick's heartbeats were too slow and "the pacemaker is actually going to take over his heart and is going to determine when to pace fast or slow depending on his activity."

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The surgery was successful, and according to Katie Tomlinson, senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo, Nick is very active and has returned to his old self.

Find out more about Nick's procedure in the full video below.

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TopicsAnimals

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