A polar molar: Walker the bear's tooth removal is a major operation

Published on 16/02/2011 15:53

WHEN does a routine dental procedure become a ten-man job? When your patient is a a 38-stone (241kg) polar bear.

The massive size of Walker, the bear who arrived at the Highland Wildlife Park in Kingussie in November, meant that ten people were needed to lift him on to the operating table.

The bear needed dental surgery after antibiotics failed to cure an infection which had left him with a swollen jaw.

A team of four vets anaesthetised him before he was hoisted on to an operating table built of hay bales inside one of the dens in the polar bear enclosure.

The vets removed the infected tooth which had caused the swelling during a four-hour operation.

A park spokesman told the Daily Record: "It was a pretty standard operation but it was made more unusual by his size.

"His teeth were X-rayed. At first they thought they could do a root canal operation but when they took a good look they realised they would have to do a removal.

"The operation lasted four hours. Walker was up and eating again soon after and he was right as rain the next day."

The infection caused the tooth not to develop which is why it had to be removed.

Vets believe the infection may have been caused by Walker breaking the tip off a tooth but it is not known how or when this happened.

The four vets who carried out the operation included a dental specialist.

Walker arrived in Scotland after being transferred from a zoo in Holland.

He shares an enclosure with 28-year-old female polar bear Mercedes.

The pair's relationship got off to a tense start but Mercedes now appears to have accepted the new arrival.