Lion put under anaesthetic to undergo root canal for chipped tooth

A lion at Maryland Zoo in Baltimore had to be put under anaesthetic to undergo root canal surgery after suffering a chip to one of his teeth.

Hassan, a 15-year-old African lion, is trained to open his mouth so keepers can inspect his teeth daily.

After they spotted the chip on a canine tooth, Hassan underwent root canal surgery by Dr Luskin.

Though the surgery was similar to a root canal performed on humans, there was one big difference - big cat was fitted with a crown the size of a credit card.

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