WARNING!!! THERE ARE SOME GRAPHIC IMAGES ON THE VIDEO THAT SOME MAY FIND DISTURBING!!!
Kwame, a 9 ½ year old, 410 pound male lion here at Zoo Miami was immobilized yesterday and brought to the Zoo Hospital to receive a root canal and a pedicure. A small mole was also discovered and removed by Zoo Chief Veterinarian Dr. Gwen Myers to be examined for the presence of skin cancer.
With the assistance Zoo Miami veterinarians, Dr. Myers, Dr. Marisa Bezjian, and Dr. Gaby Flacka, the root canal was performed by Dr. Jan Bellows from All Pets Dental and Dr. Elizabeth McMorran, a fourth year dental resident. According to Dr. Bellows, the procedure went perfectly and the root canal should last for the rest of the lion’s life. Large carnivores often damage their canine teeth in the wild during conflicts with others and when they bite hard things such as bones during feeding. Many of those animals endure significant pain and infection that can sometimes lead to death. Fortunately, Kwame will no longer feel any pain in that repaired tooth and it has been sealed against infection.
In addition to his root canal, Kwame also received a pedicure from the Zoo Miami veterinary team where his nails were trimmed to reduce the potential of them growing into the big cat’s paws. The nails are trimmed with large clippers and then filed down with a Dremmel tool.
The lion appears to have recovered well and is back at his exhibit.
