CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden is celebrating as its 18-year-old aardvark, Ali, begins healing thanks to a blood donation from Kiazi, a nine-year-old aardvark from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
Cincinnati Zoo associate veterinarian Jess Heinz said Ali has had a history of dental issues and her jaw shape made it difficult to monitor for tooth disease without needing anesthesia and advanced imaging.
“On a recent health exam, a CT revealed a severe tooth infection,” Heinz said. “We took her to Columbus to see Dr. Jamie Berning, a board-certified veterinary dentist at Veterinary Dentistry & Oral Surgery of Ohio who has worked on everything from tiny slow loris teeth to large rhino teeth.”
Berning made an incision in Ali’s cheek to access her teeth, since aardvark faces are long and their mouths are small. Berning then surgically removed her teeth to avoid more damage being caused to Ali’s jaw or nasal sinuses due to the extent of the infections.
According to Berning, Ali’s bloodwork at the time of the procedure showed her red blood cell level had become dangerously low and she needed a blood transfusion.
“Ali was also very tired, would not eat and would not move around much because she was so weak from her low blood levels,” Berning said. “Aardvarks are a unique species and cannot receive cat or dog blood, so she needed blood from another aardvark.”
The Columbus Zoo quickly responded to the request, and were able to collect blood for the transfusion from Kiazi, an adult female aardvark. Cincinnati Zoo vets performed the transfusion and checked Ali’s dental site, noting that she was on the road to recovery.
“Ali still has a long road ahead of her. She is still recovering from her dental procedure and will return to Dr. Berning for a second dental procedure in the future,” said Heinz. “But that would not be possible without having stable blood levels. Her red blood cell level is stable and slowly improving with the time bought with her transfusion from Columbus Zoo.”
Ali has been monitored extensively during and after the transfusion, as blood transfusions in aardvarks are not common.
“We are forever grateful for the incredible work of Dr. Berning providing specialized knowledge and hard work in helping to fix Ali’s complicated dental disease, and to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium veterinary and animal care staff for pulling together in an emergency and providing life-saving blood for Ali,” said Heinz. “We cherish these relationships with specialists and fellow zoos and look forward to continued collaboration.”
