Revolutionary surgery saves dog with oversized tongue

DOUG: AT FIRST GLANCE BENTLEY SEEMS LIKE A NORMAL HEALTHY 2-YEAR-OLD PIT BULL TERRIER. THAT IS UNTIL YOU REALIZE HE WAS BORN WITH A RARE CONDITION WHERE HIS TONGUE WAS TOO LARGE FOR HIS HEAD. >> IT'S CALLED MACROGLOSSIA, BASICALLY IT'S JUST AN ENLARGED TONGUE. DOUG: DR. RAYMOND KOOD-GEE IS A VETERINARY SURGEON AND PROFESSOR AT THE CUMMINGS SCHOOL IN GRAFTON. HE SAYS IT WAS A CHALLENGE FOR BENTLEY TO EAT AND INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO BREH.AT >> THE TONGUE WAS PROBABLY 2 TIMES BIGGER THAN IT NORMALLY SHOU HLDAVE BEEN. DOUG: DR KOOD-GEE NORMALLY SEES ETH CONDITION IN SMALLER MUZZLED DOGS BUT NEVER IN A BREED LIKE BENTLEY. AND IT JUST SO HAPPENED ETH TUFTS DOCTOR WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF RESEARCH ON THAT VERY SAME CONGENITAL CONDITION >> I'VE NEVER SEEN A TONGUE AS THICK AS A STEAK AND IT WAS LITERALLY THIS THICK. DOUG: MAUREEN SALZILLO IS CO-FOUNDER OF OPERATION PAWSIBILITPRY OJECT. WHEN BENTLEY'S OWNER HAD GIVEN UP ALL HOPE OF HELPING HIM HE WAS SURRENDERED TO MAUREEN'S RESC.UE AND JUST WHEN SHE HAD ALMOST GIVEN UP HOPE OF FINDING HELP FOR BENTLEY, REMARKABLY SHE REACHED OUT TO TUFTS AND FOUND DR. KOOD-GEE. >> AND HE'S LIKE I HAVE TO MEET HIM, I'M DOING THIS LIKE THE STARS HAVE LINED UP PERFECTLY. DOUG: THE MEET UP BETWEEN DOG AND DOCTOR BEING DESCRIBED AS A ONE IN-A MILLN.IO >> I'LL NEVER ESE ANOTHER DOG LIKE AND IT WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RESEARCH THAT I WAS DOING SO BOY I WAS PREYTT PREPARED FOR THE PROCEDU.RE DOUG: THE NEVER BEFORE PREFORMED PROCEDURE TO REMOVAE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BENTLEY'S ENLARGED TONGUE WAS A SUCCESS. AND WE'RE HAPPY TO REPORT HE'S IS NOW BACK IN THE LOVING HEOM OF HIS ORIGINAL OWNER IN RHODE ISLA.ND >> THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BASICALLY GET HIM TO A PLACE IN HIS LIFE WHERE HE WAS DOING 80% BETT.ER ABLE TO EAT AND INK,DR NO DISCOMFORT, BACK TO PLAYING LIKE A PUPPY. >> I DON'T BELIEVE IN FATE BUT ALL THE STARS LINED UP IN THAT SITUATION AND IT WORKED OUT REALLY WELL. DOUG: BENTLEY IS GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE BLOOD WORK DONE TODAY AND HE'S GNGOI TO HAVE HIS NAILS TRIMMED AND OTHER THAN THAT, FOR THE MOST PART, HE SHOULD BE LIVING OUT A PRETTY HEALTHY LIFE MOVING FORWA.RD IN GRAFTON, I'M DOUG MEEHAN VBWC

Revolutionary surgery saves dog with oversized tongue

Updated: 8:20 AM EDT Sep 12, 2021

At first glance, Bentley seems like a normal healthy 2-year-old pit bull terrier.But a closer look shows he was born with a rare condition where his tongue was too large for his head.Watch the video above for more on this story.

At first glance, Bentley seems like a normal healthy 2-year-old pit bull terrier.

But a closer look shows he was born with a rare condition where his tongue was too large for his head.

Watch the video above for more on this story.