Lucha the Elephant Gets a Visit from the Dentist
Lucha, a 33 year old elephant who lives at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, was paid a visit from the dentist recently after keepers noticed she had gone off her food.
The female Asian elephant wasn’t eating and when keepers alerted vets, they found that she had a wobbly tooth, which had become infected. After finding the cause of Lucha’s loss of appetite, vets at the zoo called in expert animal dentist Dr Peter Kertesz, who is based in London’s West End.
During the procedure, which was filmed by keepers, Lucha was comfortable and didn’t feel any pain thanks to the anaesthetic. The tooth was removed and Lucha’s condition was monitored closely. Nic Masters, head vet at the Zoological Society of London, said that Lucha’s close relationship with her keepers meant that she wasn’t distressed by the procedure. Keepers also make an effort to train the animals so that they can cooperate if they’re feeling under the weather and need attention from the vetinary team. Lucha’s training enabled her to lie down on the right side once the anaesthetic had taken effect, which meant the team could access the troublesome tooth easily.
Keepers noticed a change in Lucha’s appetite and quickly reported the problem. Investigations found the root cause and Dr Kertesz was contacted immediately. He has expertise in treating all kinds of animals and was able to treat Lucha without any problems.
Lucha has now returned to the rest of the herd and is recovering well.
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