Anaethesia team help ease European Brown Bear's pain

R (D)SVS’s vet nurse Hayley Walters visited a very special patient at Camperdown Wildlife Centre in Dundee, on the 20^th December 2012. Star, a European Brown Bear, required root canal work to be done to one of her canine teeth. Veterinary dentist specialist Norman Johnson was called in to perform the dental work and it was The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Medicine anaesthesia department who were asked to keep the bear unconscious for the procedure. New anaesthesia resident Karla Borland and Hayley rose to the challenge and Star remained completely unaware of everything happening to her during the 90 minute procedure.

Since Hayley worked with Moon Bears in China for over 3 years, she was asked to assist  and was more than happy to be involved in the case. She used the opportunity to brush up on her field anaesthesia skills which she uses when teaching animal welfare to vet students overseas. Hayley said, “In 2013 JMICAWE are planning several neutering workshops in Asia and we can never expect to have full veterinary hospital facilities. Field anaesthesia is always a little more stressful and challenging and it is important that we are comfortable and as prepared as possible in these situations before we actually try to go and teach in them.”

Star recovered quickly after her anaesthetic and her mate Comet, who was concerned but lightly sedated in the neighbouring den as the procedure went on, were reunited later that day.