The Hippo with Toothache

The Hippo with Toothache

Heart-warming stories of zoo and wild animals and the vets who care for them

Summary

Meet Mohan, a rhino with painfully sore feet.
And Patch, a falcon with a broken wishbone.
And Kachina, a bear cub with brittle bones.
Not to mention Alfredito, a hippo suffering from a sever bout of toothache.

All these animals owe their lives to the dedicated zoo and wild animal vets who employ boundless ingenuity and expertise to care for them and who, in this beguiling book, tell the stories of their most memorable cases. They describe not only the meticulous detective work that goes into making a diagnosis but also the pioneering techniques they have developed. And they talk freely and movingly about the bonds they form with their exotic patients..

Whether it's one doctor's determined effort to save a critically ill lemur, the neurosurgeon who was persuaded to operate on a paralysed kangaroo, or the vet who refused to give up on an orphaned baby beluga whale, these are acts of rescue, kindness and co-operation that will warm every animal lover's heart.

Reviews

  • An intriguing, sensitively written book that really shows the relationships that can develop between humans and wild animals
    Terry Nutkins

About the authors

Lucy H Spelman

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Ted Y Mashima

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