A tiger has undergone a root canal treatment to save the animal’s giant teeth.
Aqua had the two-hour procedure after keepers spotted that he was having trouble eating.
Specialist equipment designed for big cats was used to perform the equivalent of a human root canal.
The tiger, which was rescued from illegal traffickers in 2019, has lived at Noah’s Ark Zoo Park in Bristol since October.
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Specialist Dr Peter Kertesz performed the procedure and said he had to have total trust in the anaesthetist.
Six members of staff had to lift the 22-stone anaesthetised animal onto the operating table and ensure his jaw was kept open so the team could work safely on his teeth, as reported by What’s The Jam.
Emma Ogborne, lead big cat keeper at the zoo, said: “Through feeding with kitchen tongs as part of our protected contact training, we’re able to build trust with Aqua while keeping both him and his keepers safe.
“This approach allows us to carry out routine health checks and spot any issues, like the dental work he needed, without causing stress.
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“It’s a vital part of how we care for big cats, helping us catch potential problems early.”
Kertesz, who has worked on about 300 cats, drilled in into the teeth and removed any decayed pulp before filling the cavities.
Following the two-hour procedure, the zoo said the tiger should be able to use his teeth as normal.
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Chris Wilkinson, curator of Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm added: “The procedure went really well.
“Using specialist equipment designed for big cats, we treated Aqua’s top two canine teeth and performed the equivalent of a human root canal.
“This visit marks the beginning of his ongoing care plan, helping us protect his long-term dental health.”
Aqua was discovered alongside nine other tigers, covered in faeces and crammed into a horse box, at the Poland–Belarus border nine years ago.
Thought to be around seven years old, the tiger spent several years at a rehabilitation centre in Spain before he found his current home.
The zoo said historic dental issues were unfortunately common in big cats with challenging pasts.
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