Madhubala gets relief after years of dental pain

PAKISTAN: Madhubala, a 16-year-old elephant in Pakistan suffering for years from a dental infection and pain caused by a broken tusk, finally got relief on Wednesday after undergoing treatment while under unique standing sedation.

Madhubala is one of four African elephants being treated in Karachi by an eight-member team from global animal welfare group Four Paws, which in 2020 relocated Kaavan – an elephant dubbed the world’s loneliest – to Cambodia from Islamabad.

Named after a legendary Indian actress, Madhubala’s eyes were taped shut, her legs tied to side-grills to support her during sedation and the subsequent treatment at the Karachi Zoo.

The veterinarians had to use drills and other heavy surgical tools to extract the infected tusk which came out in bits and pieces.

“Due to long-term inflammation the tissue is so fragile and thin it’s not possible to take it out at once, it is breakable,” said,” Dr. Marina Ivanova said, showing reporters the extracted tusk.

An endoscopy before the procedure showed the full tusk inside measured 31 centimetres (12.2 inches), she said.

During the five- to six-hour procedure, Madhubala did not put up much resistance as she was kept sedated. – FRANCE 24