Wildcat Sanctuary Tiger Gets Teeth Surgery

SANDSTONE, Minn.– It was a trip to the dentist for the newest tiger at The Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone named Marcus who had surgery on 15 rotten teeth Saturday.

Marcus had work done on four of his canines, along with root canals. Experts say his teeth were so bad because of poor diet and biting on fences and bowls due to neglect, leaving him 30 pounds underweight.

The surgery was done by the Peter Emily Dental Foundation. They provided free dental work on big cats, which means a lot for a non-profit like the wildcat sanctuary.

“With broken teeth, it can be extremely painful, it’s hard for them to chew bones, it’s hard for them to eat. They can get massive infections that can cause other issues so taking care of these teeth are so important,” said Tammy Thies, Founder and Executive Director of The Wildcat Sanctuary.

The tiger will be recovering in his room with a boneless diet for the next few days. Marcus’s pearly whites should be healthy by the end of the week.