THE HOUSTON SPCA & THE HOUSTON ZOO TEAM UP TO GIVE BETSY BEAR A WINNING SMILE
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
By: Alice Sarmiento

The veterinarians from the Houston SPCA and the Houston Zoo will be up bright and early on Wednesday, July 22nd to perform an extensive amount of dental care on "Betsy Bear."

HOUSTON (July 20, 2009) The veterinarians from the Houston SPCA and the Houston Zoo will be up bright and early on Wednesday, July 22nd to perform an extensive amount of dental care on “Betsy Bear.” This European Brown Bear was rescued from a life of abuse and cruelty almost two years ago from Gonzales, Texas with ten other bears and two tigers. All of the other animals have been fortunate enough to find zoos and sanctuaries to call home. The Houston SPCA has had a difficult time placing Betsy into a proper sanctuary because of her species and advanced age. Most suitable sanctuaries which house European Brown Bears only take in a limited number and tend to choose those that are younger because they have a longer life span.

Since her rescue, Betsy has been receiving proper food, shelter and medical care under the supervision of the staff at the Houston SPCA. The veterinarians at the Houston SPCA believe a probable cause of her broken teeth is due to the fact that during her confinement she was housed in a cage where she lacked enrichment which caused her to chew on the cage bars. Betsy was used to perform in circus parking lots and was only feed after her “act.” She was given water by the spray of a hose and would have to open her mouth in order to “catch” a drink of water.  The attached photo was taken where Betsy and the other animals were found living in Gonzales, Texas. As you can see, her cage was so small that she could barely turn around or even stand up tall.

The Houston SPCA veterinarians have been monitoring Betsy’s teeth during this time and now believe that without medical intervention, an infection could jeopardize her overall health. “Broken teeth are not only a potential source of chronic pain, but can also lead to serious infections. Lack of dental care in any animal can actually shorten their life expectancy due to infections entering through open root canals or bad gums and circulating through the body. A bear in the wild may succumb to these infections or may become malnourished as the pain can alter their normal eating patterns. We have been monitoring Betsy for any infection caused by the broken teeth and are now fortunate to have the assistance of the Houston Zoo Veterinarians to help us treat the problem. Betsy is not a young bear and we hope this step will help give her many more comfortable years of life,” says Vice President of Animal Welfare, Dr. Teri Schweiss.

Dr. Maryanne Tocidlowski and her staff at the Houston Zoo also share a deep history with Betsy Bear and her companions. “Houston Zoo curators, keepers, veterinarians and hospital staff assisted the Houston SPCA two years ago when the bears and tigers were rescued in Gonzales. Two of the rescued grizzly bears are living at the Zoo and we’ve followed Betsy Bear’s progress since she arrived at the Houston SPCA. We share Houston SPCA’s concern for all animals and welcome the opportunity to assist in Betsy’s care.”