Geoemyda spengleri turtle fitted with prosthetic mask
�Patches�, a black-breasted leaf turtle at Zoo Knoxville, is now sporting a custom prosthetic mask created for her by veterinarians at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM). The plastic beak was created to protect a hole in her nostril from infection and to make eating easier for the tiny turtle.
The endangered turtle came to Zoo Knoxville in 2009 from Minnesota on a breeding recommendation of the Species Survival Plan, a collaborative effort by zoos nationwide to save them from extinction. In August, 2016, the 30-year-old female developed a hole in her nostril due to an infection that grew to encompass a portion of her face. After successful treatment with antibiotics, the wound stabilized but Patches remained susceptible to further infections and had difficulties with food lodging in the area.
Patches� veterinary team at UTCVM, Dr. Andrew Cushing and Dr. Kyle Snowdon, used CT scans to design the custom mask, which was printed using a 3D printer and fitted to Patches cheek using a screw anchored in dental resin in September, 2017.
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Photo from WATE 6.
