By Dean Murray
One of the world’s ugliest pigs has been given two fillings at London Zoo.
Ubi the babirusa has been given two fillings, with his CT scan shared by vets following a successful visit to the dentist.
Babirusa originate from Indonesia, where, thanks to their gnarly tusks – which are actually teeth growing through their noses that curl backwards – and hairless bodies, they are sometimes called “demon pigs,” and have even been given the unfortunate nickname of “world’s ugliest pigs.”
It was two of these “tusks” that keepers could tell were causing the zoo’s male pig Ubi discomfort, leading them to call the vets for a check-up.
Following a CT scan and veterinary examination, it was discovered that two of Ubi’s tusks had a minor infection.
London Zoo vet Stefan Saverimuttu said: “Babirusas’ tusks are actually canine teeth which can reach up to 40cm in length and grow through their skin.
“Following Ubi’s CT scan, we were able to see that two of Ubi’s tusks had a minor infection. These tusks had to be treated so they didn’t end up causing any discomfort.”
A veterinary dental specialist was called in to help Ubi and, using the CT scan as a guide, Ubi’s tusks were trimmed to the site of infection. They were then sealed with resin – the equivalent of getting a filling.
Stefan said: “Ubi was a star patient – he’s made a brilliant recovery, and we’re confident that his tusks shouldn’t cause him any further issues.”
“The sweet-tempered pig was soon back to his soppy self,” added the zoo.
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