Now dog can fight poaching tooth and nail after implant
A Wiemaraner called Landa, part of the K9 anti-poaching unit at Sabi-Sabie, is getting a new tooth.
WHITE RIVER – Landa, a Weimaraner part of the K9 anti-poaching unit on a private game reserve, had his second operation for a new tooth on Friday May 29.
The first operation took place in March. His jawbone had to heal before the drilling for an implant could take place.
The titanium implant root for Landa’s new tooth was made in Switzerland.
The sponsor for the procedure was Nobel Biocare and the company’s country manager, Mr Mark Mathias said, “Titanium is a miracle substance as it is never rejected by the body of humans nor animals. The bone actually grows through the pores of the implant and that will make the tooth so much stronger. This is the first operation of its kind on a dog in South Africa, but it has already taken place elsewhere in the world.”
Dentist, Dr Auke van der Meulen, performed the initial procedure and Dr Reynier Oelofsen and Dr Graeme Harman of the Veterinary Hospital at Casterbridge performed Friday’s operation.
Front: Moses Zondo, Dr Reynier Oelofsen, Dr Auke van der Meulen, Mr Mark Mathias, Mr Faston Theu.
Back: Mr Carl Potgieter, Dr Graeme Harman and Ruan de Beer.
The owner of Landa, Mr Conraad Geza de Rosner said, “I am so happy that we can do this for Landa.
He is doing such wonderful work in our anti-poaching unit. We would have half the successes without him in the unit”.
The actual tooth, to be fitted on the implanted root, will be made by technician Mr Carl Potgieter at Casterbridge.
This will take place in about six weeks’ time.
