The vets removed three kilogrammes of tissue from Nyan htoo's tongue.

 

Disease caused Nyan htoo’s tongue to swell 

Vets have removed a bear cub's tongue, after it became so swollen it dragged on the floor.

The cub, called Nyan htoo, was rescued by a monastery in Myanmar together with its brother. The pair were bound for China’s black market before monks took action to rescue them.

Very soon it became apparent that Nyan htoo was suffering from a mysterious disease that caused his tongue to swell to enormous proportions. In 2016, vets attempted to remove the excess tissue. But despite making a good recovery, the swelling recurred and worsened over time.

A year later, it became apparent that the disease was affecting the bear’s quality of life. Although Nyan htoo could still play with his brother, his tongue kept dragging on the floor. It was rubbing against his teeth and the extra weight was causing him to lean his head on his cage bars.

This is when animal welfare expert and veterinary surgeon Heather Bacon stepped in. Heather, of the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, teamed up with veterinary nurse Caroline Nelson, of the Animals Asia Bear Rescue Centre in Vietnam.

Together with Romain Pizzi from Wildlife Surgery International, Heather and Caroline drew up a plan to ease the animal’s suffering. The experts travelled to Myanmar and worked with local vets to amputate the tongue.

The team worked for around four hours in soaring temperatures to remove three kilograms of tissue. Following an examination of the bear, they concluded that the swelling might have been caused by a condition called elephantiasis. Spread by mosquitoes, the condition is common in people in Myanmar but has never been reported in bears.

The team says that Nyan htoo is making a good recovery and they expect him to go on to live a more normal life.

“This was an opportunity for us to use our veterinary and animal welfare expertise to make a significant difference for a bear and the people who care for him,” commented Heather Bacon.

“Thanks to the enthusiasm and compassion of all involved in this uniquely collaborative project, we have been able to make a tangible improvement in the quality of Nyan htoo’s life, and hope to continue our work in Myanmar to promote improvements in animal welfare and veterinary training.”

Caroline Nelson added: "This was a really unusual medical condition – never before seen in any species of bear – but we weren't about to give up on Nyan htoo. We're delighted that we've been able to improve his quality of life. Now he will be able to eat much more comfortably, sleep in more natural positions and move more freely for the rest of his life."