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“Just Like Humans”

You Won't Believe How This Lioness Got Dental Care

After struggling to eat, the 15-year-old lioness was sedated for dental treatment. Vets found a gum lesion caused by tartar buildup and treated it just like a human dental cleaning.

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Samburu, a 15.5-year-old lioness at the Ramat Gan Safari, underwent a full dental checkup and treatment this week at the Safari’s Wildlife Hospital, “just like a human,” according to a spokesperson.

Her caretakers at the savannah exhibit noticed that Samburu had recently changed her eating habits, eating less and appearing to have difficulty chewing. When her condition didn’t improve, the veterinary staff decided to bring her in for a full workup.

At the Wildlife Hospital, Samburu underwent a thorough series of tests, including bloodwork, X-rays, and ultrasound scans. Eventually, the cause of her discomfort was identified: a piece of tartar buildup was irritating her gums and had led to a small lesion.

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Veterinarian Dr. Elad Smit and hospital director Prof. Dudu Ashchar performed a 30-minute procedure under full anesthesia, carefully removing the tartar with a scaler, just like at a human dental hygienist’s office.

Following the treatment, Samburu was returned to her night enclosure for recovery. According to her caretakers, she’s now back to eating normally and showing signs of a full recovery.

The Safari emphasized that routine health monitoring for older animals is critical, and that advanced veterinary techniques are helping wild animals live longer, healthier lives, even when it comes to dental care.

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