We have received the visit of veterinarian Sergio Soler, specialist in equine dentistry, to perform the partial extraction of one of the molars of Nube, one of the six donkeys that form the equine group of our park, after detecting that one of the dental pieces had produced a fracture that generated pain to the animal. The donkey is a species that is currently threatened. In fact, the IUCN catalogue the situation of the wild donkey critically endangered.
In recent days, Nube´s keepers had observed that the donkey ate with some difficulty, chewed more than usual, licked and ate very little compared to days ago. These symptoms put the Terra Natura Benidorm team on alert. Considering these signals, the experts of the park decided to have the advice of a specialist in equine dentistry to proceed to perform a more comprehensive review.
This is the first time that a specialist in equine dentistry comes to Terra Natura Benidorm to perform an intervention like the one carried out in this species. The specialist has made a complete review of the teeth of the animal and has found that the problem was in one of the molars.
Once the fracture of the molar was detected, the partial extraction of the dental piece that caused the discomfort was carried out. After the intervention, the keepers will have to administer oral rinses with antiseptic twice a day, and a treatment with antibiotic and parenteral analgesic to avoid possible complications.
There are different oral problems that can affect equines and, in this particular case, it is most likely that the fracture was produced as a result of biting a stone or something similar. Dental problems are common in equids, especially as they get old. In this case, Nube is around 20 years old.