Vets carry out ‘daunting’ root canal dentistry on 170kg tiger

world
Vets Carry Out ‘Daunting’ Root Canal Dentistry On 170Kg Tiger
Vets carry out root canal surgery on Amur tiger Bagai
Share this article

By Ben Mitchell, PA

Vets at a Hampshire zoo have described the challenge of carrying out root canal work on a 170kg tiger.

The team at Marwell Zoo near Winchester, Hampshire, carried out the treatment after male Amur tiger Bagai broke a tooth.

Advertisement

A spokeswoman for the zoo said: “A trip to the dentist isn’t anybody’s idea of fun and when you weigh 170kg, have canines that measure 9cm long and a jaw that can deliver more than 1,000 pound force per square inch (PSI), it’s probably a little bit daunting for the dentist too.

 

Advertisement

“That’s exactly the challenge an all-female team from Marwell Zoo undertook recently when male Amur tiger Bagai broke a tooth and needed a root canal.

“Carrie Arnold, animal team leader for carnivores, contacted the zoo’s in-house veterinary team after noticing the 11-year-old tiger had broken a tooth.

“His age and known health conditions made anaesthetising and operating a higher risk procedure, so it was critical everything went to plan.”

Advertisement
Vets carry out root canal surgery on Amur tiger Bagai (Marwell Zoo/PA)

Zoo veterinarian Dr Elyse Summerfield-Smith oversaw the procedure carried out by veterinary dentist Rachel Perry, which involved performing a root canal, removing the dental pulp, sterilising the inside of the tooth and filling it with a sealer.

The zoo’s team of registered veterinary nurses also monitored the anaesthetic and Bagai’s vital statistics.

Dr Summerfield-Smith said: “When we run procedures like this, everyone involved has responsibility for the lives of their colleagues as well as the life of the tiger.”

Advertisement

The zoo spokeswoman added: “Bagai has since made a full recovery and is enjoying his food once again thanks to the care, professionalism and expertise of this fantastic all-female team.”

Read More

Message submitting... Thank you for waiting.

Want us to email you top stories each lunch time?

Download our Apps
© BreakingNews.ie 2024, developed by Square1 and powered by PublisherPlus.com