What Big Teeth You Have! Pittsburgh Zoo Lion Needs Root Canal

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A zoo dentist and veterinary staff will perform a root canal on one of the Pittsburgh Zoo's African lions Tuesday.

When zoo keepers were performing a daily health check on Razi, an 8-year-old African lion at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, lead mammal keeper Kathy Suthard noticed the problem.

"When I asked Razi to open his mouth, I was surprised to notice the broken tooth because he had not shown any signs of being in discomfort or pain," she said in a release.

Dr. Ginger Sturgeon, the zoo's head veterinarian, was able to confirm that about one inch of the tooth had fractured off and said a root canal would be needed to save the tooth.

Zoo officials aren't sure how his tooth got broken, but they say it may be related to Razi's previously diagnosed epilepsy.

Veterinary staff will work with Dr. Dave Regine, who was been a zoo dentist for 25 years, and his staff to perform the root canal Tuesday morning.

Razi will be injected with an anesthetic, then transported to the Animal Care Center for the procedure.

Afterwards, zoo keepers will stay with Razi until he is fully awake and able to return to the zoo's lion building.