Wolverine set to undergo dental treatment
Hughie the wolverine is set to undergo dental treatment in Winnipeg.
Veterinarians are preparing to carry out root canal treatment on the wolverine after dental staff detected deterioration during treatment for another condition last month. The team at Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg then contacted Dr Colleen O’Morrow from the Birchwood Animal Hospital.
Wolverines are notoriously fierce and can potentially be very dangerous; however, Dr O’Morrow and her team are looking forward to the challenge and confident that they can do a good job. Dr O’Morrow will be joined by Dr Chris Enright for the procedure, which should take between four and five hours. Dr O’Morrow has never worked with a wolverine before but claims it should be similar to working with dogs because the anatomy of the teeth is very similar.
When questioned about the impending challenge, O’Morrow and Enright said they were looking forward to showcasing their skills and raising awareness of the importance of good oral health in animals. Dr O’Morrow said she was not scared about the possibility of the wolverine waking up mid-operation because she was confident in the ability of the anaesthetising team.
Hughie will be sedated with a blow dart and then transported to Birchwood and the procedure will be carried out. After surgery, Hughie will be transported back to the zoo in a specially designed metal crate; when he has recovered, he will be released back into his enclosure.
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