Communications & Public Affairs Office
El Paso Zoo
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Noelle Nevarez, Public Affairs @ 474-4773 or 541-4915
Nancy Juvrud @ 240-3655
Second Dental Correction for Savannah
the El Paso Zoo Elephant a Success!
Elephant gets another big tooth fix
El Paso, Texas–April 5, 2009–Savannah, the El Paso Zoo’s oldest Asian elephant has undergone a second successful dental procedure.
El Paso Zoo Veterinarian, Dr. Victoria Milne, is in charge of health care for all the zoo animals including the largest–the Asian elephants. Under Dr. Milne’s supervision, Savannah had another one of her overgrown teeth evaluated and trimmed. The first procedure was conducted on October 5, 2008.Preventative dentistry is a routine part of most of the regular exams at the Zoo.
Dr. Milne prescribed zoo keepers to place wooden sticks and more branches than usual for Savannah to chew on, with the hopes that she would naturally break off the teeth herself. Keepers placed the sticks in her habitat regularly and waited. Over a period of the next few weeks her general health and weight were continually monitored to determine any effects of the two overgrown teeth. When it was apparent that Savannah could not break off the teeth on her own a team of specialized doctors was consulted and dental surgery was recommended.
Steve Marshall, El Paso Zoo Director, said,“once again the preparation by our Zoo staff was detailed and exhaustive. Each person directly involved or standing by in support acted in the most professional manner leading up to and during the procedure. The procedure took just a little over two hours and we were able to remove most of one of the overgrown teeth.”
El Paso Zoo Director Steve Marshall, elephant zoo keepers and Zoo Veterinarian Dr. Milne had called in a team of medical specialists from The Colyer Institute, in San Diego, after Zoo staff noticed that Savannah’s two bottom teeth were overgrown.
A spokesperson for the Colyer Institute said,“We consider the procedure a success.”
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Normally, during an elephant’s lifespan they have 6 sets of teeth, (unlike the two sets that we humans have) with the older molars slowly breaking off over time to allow space for the new ones to push through. The older teeth have an almost serrated edge that allows the old tooth to break off piece by piece. Elephants eat many hard items that break off the leading edge of the older teeth naturally when they chew. When elephant keepers and Dr. Milne noticed thatSavannah’s teeth were not breaking off and allowing the next set to come in, they took action.
Savannah’s Bio:
Savannahwas brought fromIndiaat approximately two years of age. She resided at the Dallas Zoo from May, 1954 to September, 1975. She was moved to the Baton Rouge Zoo in September, 1975. Later the Baton Rouge Zoo transitioned to a breeding facility and needed to find a more appropriate home forSavannahwho had passed her breeding age. In February 26, 1997,Savannahcame to the El Paso Zoo were she currently resides. She is estimated to be 56 years old.
