Docs Heal Bears Burned In California Wild Fires With Tilapia Skins

A few weeks ago, I saw characters on the ABC drama, The Good Doctor, use Tilapia skins to help a severe burn victim. It was a cool enough idea that I Googled it and found that it was an actual thing. It turns out that the skins can be treated so they are sterile, and the natural collagen in them helps aid the healing and regeneration of skin much faster and with less discomfort than traditional methods. Today, we’ve got a great example of this new medical tech being used to help victims of the California wild fires. The only difference is that it isn’t humans that doctors from UC Davis are helping, it’s bears who scorched their paws trying to get away from the flames.

Working in partnership with California Department of Fish and Wildlife, UC Davis veterinarian, Jamie Peyton, used Tilapia fish skins to treat burn wounds on wildlife animals, including bears and a mountain lion.