1Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar-751 003, Orissa, India
2Nandankanan Zoological Park, PO-Barang, Khurdha-754 005, Orissa, India
3Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar-751 003, Orissa, India
4Department of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar-751 003, Orissa, India
*Corresponding Author: S.K. Sahu, Nandankanan Zoological Park, PO- Barang, Khurdha-754 005, Orissa, India, Email: sahu.sarat77@gmail.com
Online Published on 10 November, 2022.
Epulides, tumors of periodontal origin, are commonly reported in dogs and infrequently in cats. But its documentation among wild animals is scarce. Retrospective study of the available literature did not find any report of epulis in sloth bears, though dental pathology is common in captive sloth bears. The present study depicts the details about an incidence of bilateral epulides in a captive sloth bear of Nandankanan Zoological Park, Bhubaneswar, India and its successful surgical management.
A male sloth bear aged about 15 years, developed bilateral swellings at the upper jaw, protruding out of the oral cavity, impeding with its normal feeding and drinking. Close physical examination under general anaesthesia revealed that the swellings are bilateral epulides at the upper jaw involving canines of both sides. The epulides were surgically excised, histopathology of the excised mass was conducted and a course of antibiotic treatment was followed.
The epulides were found to be of fibromatous and ossifying type. In the present case, there was no recurrence of epulides at the surgical site after their excision and the procedure proved curative. This work is a complementary contribution to the dental pathology study of sloth bears in captivity.
Excision, Fibromatous and ossifying epulis, Immobilization, Sloth bear
