Why an 500-pound grizzly bear needed a root canal at Washington State University
PULLMAN, Wash. - Veterinary specialists from Washington State University performed a two-hour root canal on an 11-year-old grizzly bear, rare dental work for one of the school's largest residents.
The backstory:
Adak, a 500-pound grizzly bear from WSU’s Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center, damaged his canine tooth, likely while wrestling with his sister. After Bear Center staff noticed Adak's chipped tooth, campus veterinarians stepped in to help.
What they're saying:
"We suspect Adak broke off the tip of his tooth while wrestling with his sister," said Chelsea Davis, the Bear Center’s animal care facilities manager. "We recognized that this was a serious issue and immediately contacted the campus veterinarian."
After discovering the tooth's pulp was exposed, a team of specialists with the university's Veterinary Teaching Hospital coordinated to perform the procedure. They used anesthesia, x-rayed the root, drilled a hole and sealed the tooth with a filling.
Tammy Renteria, a veterinary dentist and adjunct member of WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine faculty, performs a root canal on agrizzly bear from the WSU Bear Center on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Pullman.(Colle (Washington State University)
"A root canal is not something we can do at the Bear Center, so partnering with the vet hospital allows for better success of dentistry procedures," Davis said. "Tooth issues are the number one health problem for bears. Behaviors such as sparring or chewing on enrichment items like bones and logs can cause wear and tear on our bears’ teeth. If we catch problems early, however, there’s a good chance of preserving the rest of the tooth and promoting better future health."
What's next:
Adak was returned to his den to wake up after he was given numbing medication, pain relievers, and antibiotics. The vet team will continue monitoring the grizzly as he returns to normal activities.
MORE NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE
Seattle Revive I-5 Milestone: Northbound Ship Canal Bridge lanes set to reopen by early November
RunX Seattle opens registration for debut downtown half-marathon
New orca calf spotted in WA with southern resident killer whale J pod
Garth Brooks adds third Seattle show at Climate Pledge Arena
Seattle homelessness plan: Mayor Wilson expands pilot program citywide
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
The Source: Information in this story came from a new release from Washington State University's College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences.