Cheetah has teeth removed

A doctor at the Tygerberg Animal Hospital (TAH) recently got to remove two teeth from a cheetah.

The 10-year-old cheetah, Jessie, had been experiencing some problems with her teeth due to old age, which was affecting how she ate. After an X-ray a couple of weeks ago, a specialist decided it would be better to remove two of her teeth.

Dr Jose Almansa Ruiz, a dental specialist from the Veterinary Department at the University of Pretoria, who visits Cape Town monthly, performed the operation.

Jessie joined the cheetah family at Cheetah Experience Ashia in July last year – a facility for hand-raised ambassador cheetahs and a safe sanctuary for retired animals or those that need special care.

The cheetah was part of the registered cheetah-breeding project in Bloemfontein and gave birth to the very first cheetahs born to the breeding project.

The facility lies nestled at the foot of the Drakenstein mountains near Paarl.

The 35-hectare working farm supports the conservation of endangered big and small cats, particularly cheetah.

Ashia’s Saskia Brown said Jessie had recovered well since the procedure and remained on a special diet to help her continue getting all the nutrients she needed.