19 February 2026
A babirusa pig’s dental CT images have been shared by vets during London Zoo’s Vets In Action week.
One of the world's ugliest pigs, Ubi the babirusa, has been given two fillings at London Zoo, with his CT scan shared by vets following a successful visit to the dentist.
Babirusa, (Babyrousa babyrussa) originate from Indonesia where thanks to their gnarly tusks - which are actually teeth growing through their noses that curl backwards - and hairless bodies, they are sometimes called "demon pigs”, and have even been given the unfortunate nickname of ‘world’s ugliest pigs’.
It was two of these ‘tusks’ that keepers could tell were causing our male pig Ubi discomfort, leading them to call the vets for a check-up. Following a CT scan and veterinary examination, it was discovered that two of Ubi’s tusks had a minor infection.
London Zoo vet Stefan Saverimuttu said: “Babirusas’ tusks are actually canine teeth which can reach up to 40cm in length and grow through their skin. Following Ubi’s CT scan, we were able to see that two of Ubi’s tusks had a minor infection. These tusks had to be treated so they didn’t end up causing any discomfort.”
A veterinary dental specialist was called in to help Ubi and, using the CT scan as a guide, Ubi’s tusks were trimmed to the site of infection. They were then sealed with resin – the equivalent of getting a filling. The sweet-tempered pig was soon back to his soppy self.
Stefan added: “Ubi was a star patient – he’s made a brilliant recovery, and we’re confident that his tusks shouldn’t cause him any further issues.
London Zoo’s veterinary work is currently under the spotlight with Vets in Action, a week-long event at the conservation zoo showing children and their families just what goes into caring for the thousands of animals that call it home. Visitors to the experience get hands on with veterinary activities, from carrying out their own CT scan, to learning how animals are trained by their keepers to take part in their own veterinary care.
More about Vets in Action
Stefan concluded: “Our keepers know the animals they care for so well, so they’re able to detect when something isn’t right, which means we vets can respond quickly and call in the right experts to help our animals. This is such important work, and it’s brilliant that our visitors get to give it a go at Vets in Action.”
Vets In Action is included in a zoo ticket, and we're offering a special February half-term discount. Families can enjoy 30% off a fantastic day out with their loved ones when visiting London Zoo by booking with the code LOVE30.