This is the moment a dentist was faced with the jaw-some task of repairing the chipped teeth – of a TIGER.
The Siberian tiger – named Vlad – required treatment after chipping the ends off two of his three-inch canines.
Zoo staff sedated Vlad with a tranquilliser dart before he was taken from his enclosure to be worked on by vet Nick Masters.
But the 360lb beast was so heavy that it took seven men to haul Vlad onto a stretcher and carry him to the vets’ room for treatment.
Vlad then had some tooth decay removed with a drill and had two fillings done at Dartmoor Zoo near Plymouth in Devon.
Curator Will Walker said the tiger was in theatre for nearly three hours on his first trip to the dentist.
He said: ”Vlad had some work done on a couple of his canines which had been broken off at the ends.
”He just needed some fillings like we would have done at the dentist, to prevent infection and to keep him happy and healthy.
”It is not a straight forward task because Vlad is obviously a large and dangerous animal.
”We had to dart him and then it took seven of us to get him from his enclosure and into the vets room.
”He had probably lost about an inch from two teeth as a result of wear and tear. Luckily it’s the first time he has needed to see a dentist.”
Vlad’s 10-year-old sister, Stripe, was also taken in for a minor dental procedure on one of her canines.
Wild Siberian tigers now only exist far eastern area of Siberia and are a protected species. The creatures can weigh up to 650lbs.
All those broken and chipped teeth would make for a painful (and for a tiger, a dangerous) dinner! I can’t say if that doctor came across a similar case with human patients. But we have to congratulate him for having steady hands fit for the job!