Panda Cub Is Thriving, Third Checkup Shows

The National Zoo’s giant panda cub had his third veterinary checkup, which found him in good health, weighing 4.2 pounds and measuring 17 inches.

“A solid little Tonka truck,” pronounced chief veterinarian Suzan Murray after the 14-minute exam.

The cub had gained 1.6 pounds since his last physical on Aug. 8, and had grown nearly three inches. At birth, on July 9, the cub probably weighed a quarter of a pound and was only a few inches long.

The cub’s heart and lungs sounded healthy, Murray said. His eyes have not opened yet but were expected to do so soon.