Each
morning the California sea lions at the Oregon Coast Aquarium line up and say
awe, patiently maintaining the pose as staff peer in to check their teeth and
gums. Good dental health is extremely important to overall well-being, and
Aquarium mammalogists take time every day to brush and rinse each set of pearly
blacks.
During one of these sessions, a mammalogist noted Rosa, the
Aquarium’s 10 year old California Sea Lion, had a broken tooth. While it isn’t
too uncommon for an animal to lose a tooth, the break was a cause for concern.
In Rosa’s case, the worry was that the remaining root of the tooth could become
infected, posing a significant risk to her health.
With a plan in place, Rosa was transported to a nearby surgical suite, where the veterinary team was ready and waiting. Once Rosa was under anesthesia, busy hands got to work: Dr. Lewer focused on her dental care while Dr. Wepprich and Certified Vet Tech Margot drew blood and performed an ultrasound.
“There we go,” said Dr. Lewer, holding the root up for the team to see. Measuring no more than a quarter inch long, the root left behind the smallest gap in Rosa’s gums—a few stitches later, the procedure was complete, and a few hours later, Rosa was back in the water.
