Photos of exotic animals visiting the doctor

On Wednesday, doctors in Israel performed unprecedented surgery on a Syrian brown bear named Mango. The 19-year-old bear suffered from a slipped disc, which had left his back legs paralyzed, the Daily Mail reported.

Veterinarians will monitor Mango's recovery in the coming weeks, but the photograph of this 550-pound animal, with a shaved back and an IV line and a blood-pressure cuff, is a reminder that even the most ferocious-looking creatures sometimes need a hand from their docs. Below, several more exotic patients. --Sarah Eberspacher

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