PREVIEW

A dental team from the UK recently completed a critical mission in Armenia which saw them perform 'life-changing' surgery on a brown bear.

Last year, Misha was rescued by the Armenian NGO, Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets, with support from the Uckfield-based charity, International Animal Rescue (IAR).

Discovered near a village in Armenia, Misha was either a runaway or had been discarded after enduring years of captivity, plagued by severe dental afflictions and malnutrition. Once sedated, a comprehensive evaluation uncovered broken, rotting teeth and swollen, infected gums.

Misha was relocated to a bear sanctuary in Urtsadzor, supported by IAR and managed by FPWC, where he underwent extensive care to prepare him for the intricate dental surgery. The skilled dental team, adept at handling various wildlife, effectively remedied Misha’s dental woes, markedly enhancing his condition soon after the procedure.

Post-surgery, Gerhard Putter, a veterinary dental specialist from Cambridge, noted Misha’s swift improvement, “Just hours after the surgery we could see the improvement in Misha’s demeanour. And the following day we’re told he was on his feet and eating apples with gusto!”

Jonathan Cracknell, a veterinary surgeon from Merseyside who specialises in wildlife and anaesthetics, noted that the surgery, while intricate and more challenging than anticipated, was a resounding success. The procedure included multiple extractions and root canals, completed in roughly five hours.

Alan Knight, the IAR's president emphasised the ongoing need for such interventions, with plans to build a new, larger rescue centre funded through public donations, “This is not the first time we’ve carried out dental surgery on a bear in Armenia and sadly it won’t be the last.'

"We believe there may still be as many as 50 caged bears in need of rescue – and living in terrible pain, just as Misha was."