A dermatologist may have devised a novel treatment for scoliosis occurring in sharks.
Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD, along with the Minnesota Zoo’s veterinary staff, injected botox into a captive sand tiger shark that was suffering from scoliosis.
Sharks in the wild, as well as in human care, can develop scoliosis. Some types of scoliosis are caused by an abnormal and persistent contraction of muscles along just one side of the spine that causes the spine to be curved.
“I was delighted and optimistic when the care staff at the Minnesota Zoo asked if I would help administer Botox to ‘Haps’ the shark to help improve his condition of scoliosis,” Crutchfield said. “Over the past 18 years, I’ve administered almost a million units of Botox to humans, but this was the very first shark. In fact, by all accounts, Haps was the very first shark ever treated with Botox in the United States.”
The zoo staff reported that there is an improvement in the spine curvature of the shark following the experimental treatment.
“Haps is doing better, and that warms my heart,” said Dr. Crutchfield.