Dental treatment, artificial limbs and a hernia operation... all given to animals

A series of reports are emerging on the latest medical care being recieved by animals. While all attempts to undertake medical care on animals is of course welcome, perhaps most incredible of all is the hernia operation recently performed on Carla the angelfish.

Vets at the London Aquarium used anaesthetic, a scalpel, a needle and forceps to perform the operation, who is a 10-year veteran of the popular tourist attraction. Happily, Carla has now made a full recovery and is once again pleasing visitors in the Caribbean tropical fish display tank.

Another case of animal medicine to come to life is that of Riley the horse, who was lucky enough to receive a prosthetic leg in a pioneering operation that is being credited with saving her life.

In addition to general surgery, there have been significant advances in recent years in the field of animal dentistry. Henry the puffer fish was given an emergency tooth extraction after coming off worse in a fight with a stingray half his size. The stingray, named Clyde, has been relocated to another aquarium, while Henry is still contentedly passing out his days at the Sea Life Adventure centre in Southend, Essex.

Meanwhile, in India, a British dentist has been giving extensive dental treatment to tigers and bears living in a rescue centre run by International Animal Rescue.

Get Shorty

Firefighters in Hampshire were baffled earlier this year when they were called out to rescue a horse stuck knee-deep in mud. Eleven firefighters, two fire engines, a multi-role vehicle, a rural officer and a fire officer turned up to help with the rescue in Redbridge, Southampton, only to discover that it was a pony with short legs.

Read more from the UK's leaders in Rural Reportage, Horse and Hound.

Last orders for no nonsense John Smith's-drinking horse at nay-bourhood pub

While we now have anti-discrimination laws to prevent all manner of prejudicial business practices towards humans, when are the government going to wake up and help put a stop to horses being barred from pubs?


The Mirror reports:

No wonder Peggy the carthorse looks bitter. Her favourite watering hole has just banned her from boozing in the bar - and she reckons it's a right mare.

For the 12-year-old black beauty had become a regular after wandering inside her local one day when owner Pete Dolan, 62, forgot to tether her properly while he popped in for a pint.

She quickly found she loved supping John Smith's and chomping down beef crisps with the other drinkers.

But now the Alexandra Hotel in Jarrow, South Tyneside, has had a makeover - and landlady Jackie Gray, 46, has decided her hoofprints are no longer welcome on the new carpets.

Silly filly

Is there foal play at work in the animal world? Poor old filly Gracie was found making odd noises and her head stuck in a tree.

Owner Jason Harschbarger siad:

'I looked up and all I could see was her belly. I ran up to see her and she looked in a lot of trouble. She was hanging there by the back of her jaws. I ran back down to my vehicle and got a chainsaw and ratchet strap.

'I don't know what possessed me to get the camera as well.'

Is this filly really that silly or is this a sick new trend??