Big cats require big dental procedures

Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Zoo

Two big cats at the Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio were discovered to have dental issues that required root canals to save their teeth.¹ An 8-year-old Malayan tiger named Zero and a 5-year-old cheetah named Barafu both needed root canals after undergoing physical examinations by Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden veterinarians.

The dental procedures were performed by Jamie Berning, DVM, DAVDC, a veterinary dental specialist at Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery of Ohio in Columbus. Barafu the cheetah required 2 extractions in addition to the root canal, and Zero the Malayan tiger needed root canals on 2 canine teeth.¹

“We noticed fractures and pulp exposure. In humans, you would do a root canal to repair this, and the procedure for large cats is similar,” Jessica Heinz, DVM, a Cincinnati Zoo veterinarian said in a news release.¹ “We’ve worked with Dr Berning before and were thrilled that she agreed to help out Zero and Barafu.”

A 2023 study published in the Journal of Veterinary Dentistry evaluated dental and oral pathologies of big cats.² Specifically looking at lions and tigers, the study was inspired by a notable increase in the occurrence of dental diseases in captive big cats over past decades. Researchers conducted oral examinations of 36 animals, 8 of the animals were specifically presented for oral examination, and the rest were examined while under anesthesia for unrelated, medically necessary, procedures.

Of the 28 cats that underwent routine oral examinations with no previously reported dental ailments, pathological changes that had not previously been noted were found in 19 of them. The study reported dentoalveolar trauma, like tooth fractures and abrasion, to be diagnosed most frequently, in 24 of the 36 cats. Investigators concluded that findings suggest a relationship between husbandry conditions and dental diseases in big cats, also stressing the importance of regular oral examinations.²

“Dental health contributes greatly to longevity, and our hope is that these procedures will extend the lives of these animals and improve their quality of life,” Heinz said.¹ “Both cats recovered quite well post-op and are back to their normal routines.”

Visitors can find Zero at the zoo, although Barafu resides at the zoo’s off-site breeding facility, contributing to the population of cheetahs, which are endangered. The worldwide cheetah population has dropped from 100,000 in 1900 to 7,000 today.¹ Similarly, Malayan tigers are considered a critically endangered species, with reports that there are now less than 150 Malayan tigers in the wild.³

References

1. Cincinnati Zoo Vets Get to the Root of Tiger and Cheetah Dental Problems. News release. Cincinnati Zoo. August 9, 2024. Accessed August 16, 2024. https://cincinnatizoo.org/cincinnati-zoo-vets-get-to-the-root-of-tiger-and-cheetah-dental-problems/
2. Kopp E, Stelzer P, Lendl C, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Fahrenkrug P. Evaluation of Dental and Oral Pathologies of 36 Captive Lions (Panthera leo) and Tigers (Panthera tigris). J Vet Dent. 2023;40(4):314-328. doi:10.1177/08987564231159805
3. The Malayan Tiger Project. WWF. Accessed August 16, 2024. https://www.wwf.org.my/the_malayan_tiger_project/