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.
Click the link to read more and watch the video…
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Photo from WATE 6.
