PULLMAN, Wash. — Adak, an 11-year-old grizzly at Washington State University’s Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center, received a root canal at the university’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital after he chipped a canine tooth.
Chelsea Davis, the Bear Center’s animal care facilities manager, said staff suspect Adak broke the tooth while wrestling with his sister.
“We suspect Adak broke off the tip of his tooth while wrestling with his sister,” Davis said.
The Bear Center cannot perform root canals, so staff partnered with the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The team cleaned the tooth’s nerve and blood supply, sealed the root and filled the hole. Afterward, Adak returned to his den at the Bear Center.
Raelynn Farnsworth, associate dean and professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, said the case gave students a valuable learning experience.
“It’s a win-win for everyone,” Farnsworth said. “Adak still has a functional tooth that supports normal bear behavior. Collaboration is key to an animal receiving the best care.”
Read the full story on the Washington State University College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences website.
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