Aurora will undergo dental surgery at the Assiniboine Park Zoo. (HANDOUT)
An 11-month-old polar bear cub from Churchill will undergo dental surgery on Tuesday.
Aurora arrived to the Assiniboine Park Zoo in October after being found wandering alone near the northern Manitoba community’s airport.
The cub had broken teeth upon her arrival, which zoo staff vowed to fix when discussing her with the media.
The dental team will be led by veterinary Dr. Colleen O’Morrow, who also helped with dental procedures for Huey the wolverine at the zoo in 2010.
“Aurora is a healthy young bear and correcting her dental issues will be a fairly routine procedure. That said, if left unattended, they could cause serious problems for her in the future,” said Dr. Chris Enright, the zoo’s head of veterinary services.
“Dr. O’Morrow is the only specialist of her kind in the province and we’re very pleased to have her performing the dental surgery with us.”
Aurora will be given a full diagnostic exam including x-rays, following which a procedure involving tooth removal or potentially a root canal will occur.
