The animal had to be immobilized in order to perform the procedure.
Everyone has to brush their teeth — including jaguars.
So how exactly does that happen?
Employees at Zoo Miami make sure the first thing they do is immobilize animal. Currently, the zoo houses 9-year-old Adonia, a 144-pound jaguar, and on Tuesday, it was time for her dental exam.
Staffers pried open Adonia's mouth using strong cords. She then received a teeth cleaning and several X-rays. The procedure was done by Dr. Jamie A. Berning, a veterinary dentist the zoo brought in from Ohio.
Other than some minor mouth ulcerations, Adonia was in good dental health. She also underwent a general physical the same day, including blood collection and an ultrasound.
Jaguars are nature's third largest cat species, after tigers and lions.
RELATED STORIES
