I was just a little nervous when Dr Schopler, one the veterinarians at the Duke Lemur Center, said, "there are only 7 other red-bellied lemurs in captivity in North America" as they started the anesthesia. Fortunately the veterinarians and support staff at the Center are excellent when it comes to anesthesia in lemurs. The staff has years of experience and training plus the latest in veterinary technology to insure that the risk of anesthesia is minimized. I think it is safe to say that nobody knows more than the Duke Lemur Center about caring for and treating lemurs in the whole world.
I was there to try to save Hopi's left maxillary canine tooth. Hopi is a female red-bellied lemur and about 20 years old. She had worn down the tooth, exposed the pulp and now had a swelling on the same side of her face from the tooth root infection. The only treatment options for a dead tooth like this are extraction (which requires oral surgery) or root canal therapy. It turns out that lemurs use their teeth more for social interaction than for eating. Losing the canine teeth can really upset the social order, so the veterinarians were excited about the chance to save the tooth.
Thanks to some recent donations of equipment from the people dentists at Duke Pediatric Dentistry the Lemur Center now has dental radiograph capability. This capability is essential when it comes to performing root canal therapy. Root canal therapy involves cleaning, filling and sealing the inside of the tooth. The root canal was not easy due to Hopi's age, but Hopi did great with anesthesia. We we will have to wait and see if the root canal treatment resolves her infection.
If you live around Durham, then I would encourage you give the folks at the Lemur Center a call and setup a tour. It is an amazing place with some really cool animals. It is just one more reason why I love living and working in Durham.
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