Scots vet surgeon helps save Asian bear with 3kg diseased tongue

● Experts believe elephantitis caused Burmese bear’s tongue to swell up

A Scottish vet has made a mercy dash to Burma to help local medics save a young bear struck by a mystery illness that left its tongue so massively swollen it was dragging along the ground.

The expert team carried out a four-hour operation in soaring temperatures to amputate the animal’s tongue, which weighed three kilogrammes.

Now the 18-month-old male Asian black bear is back playing with his brother in the monastery where they have lived since being saved from wildlife traffickers last year.

The youngsters – named Nyan Htoo, meaning bright or smart,andkanhtoo,meaning lucky – had been destined for illegal sale to the bile industry in China when monks stepped in to save them.

Soon after their rescue, it was discovered Nyan Htoo was suffering from an unknown disease that caused his tongue to become severely enlarged.

Vets first operated on the ailing bear in 2016 in an attempt to remove the bloated flesh, but the swelling recurred and got steadily worse.

Animal welfare expert and veterinary surgeon Heather Bacon, from the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, said: “This was an opportunity

0 Asian black bear Nyan Htoo was operated on for four hours to amputate his enormous tongue 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. 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.”

Experts believe the swelling may have been caused by the mosquito-borne infection elephantiasis, which is common in people in Burma but never before seen in bears. They said Nyan Htoo is recovering well and should go on to live a virtually normal life.

Caroline Nelson, a veterinary nurse at the Animals Asia Bear Rescue Centre in Vietnam, helped perform the life-changing procedure.

She added: “We’re delighted that we’ve been able to improve his quality of life.”

Chinese traditional medicines made from bear bile, which is taken from incisions in the creatures’ gall bladders, are claimed to cure eye and liver ailments.