Dental disease in rescued dancing bears

Abstract

I was asked to go out with the charity, International Animal Rescue, together with a human dentist and trustee of the charity, Paul Cassar, to assess the dental disease present and start a dental care program with the Indian vets. Unfortunately when the canine teeth first erupt, they are deliberately fractured with a rod or hammer, done whilst the bear is conscious. This is done to help control the bear and also so the bear appears less aggressive for tourist photographs. Some gypsies may use rags to stop the bleeding and some realize that the bear is uncomfortable and use cloths saturated with oils or camphor to act as a painkiller on the live pulp tissue. The age at which the teeth are fractured seems to vary and all four canines are usually fractured at the same time.This is just one of the horrific procedures that these bears undergo.All bears have their muzzle pierced with an iron rod to allow a rope to be threaded through for control and many bears are castrated conscious.