We gotta find a really big dentist
What do you do when an elephant has an infected tusk? Who you gonna call? Not tusk busters, but the Austria-based Four Paws organization. Sixteen-year-old Madhu Bala underwent surgery for an infection on a broken tusk at the zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan. A team of international vets armed with specially designed dentist drills began operating Wednesday on a pair of elephants “in incredible pain.” Noor Jehanis suffering a similar broken tusk infection and will be operated on later. “On the right side there is an abscess. The root of Madhu Bala’s tusk is sticking into her skull and the distance to her eyes is very close. Due to long-term inflammation the tissue is so fragile and thin it’s not possible to take it out at once, it is breakable.”
Madhubala, finally got relief on Wednesday after undergoing treatment while under unique standing sedation. Madhubala is one of four African elephants being treated in Karachi by an eight-member team. The elephant’s eyes were taped shut, her legs tied to very large pipes set up on either side of the stall to support her during sedation and the subsequent treatment. The veterinarians had to use drills and other special heavy surgical tools to extract the infected tusk which came out in bits and pieces. The tusk removed was about 12 inches long. “It’s now important for us to focus on postsurgical treatment, the removal of the tusk would open a big wound, so this wound needs daily cleaning.” “We have developed very long tools to be able to clean the wound,” vet Marina Ivanova said. During the five- to six-hour procedure, Madhubala did not put up much resistance as she was kept sedated. “Today we are happy to start the first unique procedure at the Zoo in a standing position not in sleeping or complete anesthesia as it could be riskier for the elephant,” team leader Dr Aamir Khalil said.
Meanwhile in Birmingham England the university is pioneering a new treatment for cracked elephant tusks. Historically they put a tight steel ring around the tusk to stabilize it and prevent the crack from spreading. The crew at the university invented a process to stabilize the tusk using carbon fiber sheets and epoxy resin similar to the structure of the Boeing airplanes. The process was invented for Bulwagi, a 35-year-old male African elephant in their care. “Right now it’s just a waiting game, but we feel good about what we created and are looking forward to seeing if it can help other elephants,” Pillay said. “We’re hopeful that when vets first observe cracks, they will be able to go in and replicate this procedure to prevent the cracks from growing any farther and save the elephants’ tusks.” Don’t forget to floss when you brush.
They will never forget
I have the memory of an elephant…
One time I went to the zoo and saw an elephant.
I walked into the dentist’s office and whispered, “I think I’m a moth.”
The dentist shrugged, “I don’t think you should be here. You need to see a psychiatrist.”
I continued, “I am seeing a psychiatrist.”
Puzzled, he asked, “What are you doing here then?” I explained…“The light was on.”
Dentists make a living from people with bad teeth.
Why would you use a toothpaste that 9 out of 10 dentists recommend?
What do dentists call x-rays?
Tooth Pics!
Dentist: “When was the last time you flossed?”
Shaking my head. “Dude, you were there!”
September 1st Birthdays
1986 – Lillian Bowden, 1957 – Gloria Estafan, 1997 – Zendaya, 1939 – Lilly Tomlin
875 – Ferdinand Porsche, 1875 – Edgar Rice Burroughs, 1946 – Barry Gibb, 1950 – Dr. Phil McGraw