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BEARING HER TEETH Dentist performs three root canals on black bear By Lauren H. Dowdle Lions and tigers and bears, oh yes — Dr. Bert Gaddis treats them all. This dental specialist has worked on animals ranging from fruit bats to African elephants. So when a 275-pound American black bear named Yum Yum needed dental work this past summer, it’s no wonder the Montgomery Zoo & Mann Wildlife Learning Museum gave him a call. Gaddis is the owner of Animal Dental Specialists in Indian Springs (formerly Indian Springs Animal Clinic). Though he mainly provides dental care to household pets in his office, he also treats exotic animals from zoos about once a month. While pet owners might be able to tell their furry friend is having a dental problem, exotic animals aren’t as easy to examine while they are awake. That’s why zoo veterinarians perform exams and bloodwork on the animals when they are sedated. It was during one of those exams that the staff noticed Yum Yum, an 18-yearold female bear, had four teeth that were worn down and broken — and three of those teeth appeared to be open. That type of injury is often caused from the bear chewing on things. Gaddis was able to confirm the teeth would need three root canals. Because animals can only stay under anesthesia for a certain amount of time — which is determined by certain health factors — Gaddis wasn’t sure if it would take multiple procedures. In Yum Yum’s case, the zoo vets were comfortable keeping her under for about three hours. “Sometimes, it’s the unknown of how long it will take to do a root canal,” Gaddis says. He started working on the side of Yum Yum’s mouth with the two affected canines, and they were then able to turn her over so he could finish the third tooth on the other side. So, Gaddis was able to perform three root canals during one procedure, helping the bear get back to normal more quickly. That’s not always the case, though, like with a lion
Gaddis previously treated. One of the lions at the Birmingham Zoo broke three of its canines, and Gaddis had to perform three separate root canal procedures to finish them. Treating a bear or lion might seem like a grizzly task, but all of his exotic patients are completely under anesthesia before he ever enters the room. The zoo staff handles and monitors the anesthesia, which allows Gaddis to focus all of his attention on the animal, whether it’s a gorilla, tiger, otter, red panda, or hippopotamus — all animals he’s treated. “The zoo vets and staff do a great job,” he says. “In all of the zoo work I’ve done, I’ve never had any concerns about an animal waking up.” Gaddis received his undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Dairy Science and his doctorate in veterinary medicine from Auburn University. He purchased Indian Springs Animal Clinic in Pelham in 1984. In June, Gaddis revamped his animal clinic, changing the name to Animal Dental Specialists to focus only on animal dental services. The clinic accepts dental referrals from veterinarians in the Greater Birmingham area, Huntsville, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa. To learn more about his practice, visit animaldentalspecialists.com.
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