Veterinarian Heather Bacon has worked through earthquakes to treat rescued bears, but Nyan htoo's condition was a first for her.

A gigantic tongue protruded from the moon bear's mouth like a lumpy, pink melon. Unable to close his jaw, the 18-month-old animal dragged the organ on the ground when he walked, sweeping up germs and accumulating scars.

The oversize tongue—possibly the result of a congenital disease—made eating difficult, and the bear couldn't roughhouse with his brother at the ThaBawa animal shelter in Myanmar, also known as Burma.

Enter Bacon, a vet from the University of Edinburgh's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, part of the team who operated on the bear in October to remove the entire tongue. (Also