An adorable aardvark, with a painful abscess, has gone under anaesthetic after a visit from a dentist.
Zookeepers noticed that the female aardvark, called Boo, had been having trouble eating.
And, further checks, led to the discovery of a small lump on her jawline.
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Vet, Elliot Simpson Brown, was called in to Africa Alive in Lowestoft, Suffolk, to diagnose the problem, as reported by What’s The Jam.
He said: “Boo was anaesthetised for a procedure to investigate a swelling under her jaw which confirmed a dental issue with a lower cheek tooth.
“Due to the long nature of aardvarks’ noses, the veterinary dentist, Dr Gerhard Putter, used a surgical approach to explore and confirm that the problematic tooth had indeed already shed.
“The pocket was investigated and flushed and the small surgical site closed.
“We are wishing Boo a speedy recovery from this procedure.
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“Given a thorough review of her other teeth, we have no other concerns or cause to believe that we can’t now get her comfort levels and general health back to her usual bouncy self.”
Aardvarks are native to Africa and their name is Afrikaans, meaning “earth pig” or “ground pig”, because of their burrowing habits.
Boo has bred successfully as part of a breeding programme and given birth to two youngsters who have gone on to other collections.
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