Tiger In UK Zoo Taken To Dentist For ‘Tooth Job’

 

A 9-year-old Sumatran tiger at a wildlife park in Kent, United Kingdom is back to his meat munching best after having dental work to fix three broken front teeth. Fox News reports:

   
Nine-year-old Amir had to have the chipped teeth filled in at Howletts Wild Animal Park near Canterbury, Kent.

    The tiger, who weighs more than 20 stone, was sedated and transported to the on-site hospital for treatment by dental surgeon Peter Kertesz.

    Ben Warren, head of the carnivore section at Howletts, said it was decided to fill the affected teeth to prevent any pain occurring.

    He said: “Amir is a lovely tiger and although the broken teeth weren’t causing him any discomfort, we knew that a filling would be the best course of action to prevent any deterioration.”

    Jane Hopper, head of veterinary services at Howletts, said: “This is a difficult procedure in a tiger as the canine tooth’s root can be six times longer in a tiger than a human.”

    She added that the operation had been a complete success but that Amir will be monitored for the next few weeks.