Recently, some of Zoo Miami's wild residents received dental procedures. According to WSVN, jaguars, lions, sloths, and chimps were among the animals that underwent exams and cleanings, and some even more complex dental work involving extractions and root canals. These interventions are critical, as they prevent issues from escalating into serious health concerns.
The importance of dental health in animals cannot be overstated. As highlighted in a post by Zoo Miami, issues ranging from gum disease to fractured teeth can go unnoticed due to animals' tendency to suffer in silence — they do not complain about dental pain. Consequently, conditions may advance to critical stages by the time symptoms like weight loss or loss of appetite become visible. Routine dental exams are part of Zoo Miami's preventative medicine program, aimed to nip dental diseases in the bud before they lead to more severe health complications.
Last week, a team led by veterinary dentist Dr. Jamie Berning, DVM, DAVDC, from Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery of Ohio, visited the zoo to perform a range of procedures. These included consults, cleanings, exams, as well as the more invasive extractions and root canals. The visit was seen as an invaluable opportunity to leverage Dr. Berning's and her team's expertise, which they donated to the zoo, ensuring that its inhabitants received top-notch care.
The animals' intensive care went beyond tooth health, as part of the visit also included cardiac check-ups for two chimpanzees, conducted by cardiologist Dr. Ken Zilde and colleagues, including Nurse Bobbie Boyd from the Great Ape Heart Project and Michael Ringstad from Medtronics. As reported by Zoo Miami, each chimpanzee received an echocardiogram, and one had his Implantable Loop Recorder replaced — a device that monitors and records cardiac activity to detect any irregularities.
