Dentist Treats Lion’s Painful Tooth At Werribee Zoo

Sample News Big

It would be the stuff of nightmares for many people having to treat a 161kg lion’s painful tooth, but that’s exactly what Dr David Clarke did at Werribee Zoo in Australia.

The oral surgeon and his team of helpers carried out vital treatment on the lion, Johari, 9, for a broken front canine that had exposed the nerve.

The procedure was needed to ensure an infection did not occur and lead to the development of an abscess. Otherwise, the infection could have travelled to the lion’s kidneys and liver, possibly leading to the death of one of Werribee Zoo’s favourite attractions.

Thankfully, Dr Clarke, who has 20 years of experience treating wild animals, performed the 20 minute procedure with no problems and had no cause to run for the exit.

However, Dr Clarke was quick to joke that he would be running for the door if he got it wrong and the first one out. If anything, this tale tells us that it’s not only patients who can be scared of the dentist, but the other way round too!

Join this Discussion

Comments are closed.