Research overview: anesthesia for dental procedures in captive big cats

Captive big cats commonly require dental procedures, especially for fractured canine teeth, and these interventions demand careful general anesthesia given the size, danger, and physiologic vulnerabilities of the patients. Dental work may involve root canal therapy, extractions, or crown restorations, requiring stable, sufficiently deep anesthesia and analgesia over potentially lengthy procedures. This overview synthesizes the zoo-dentistry and anesthesia literature rather than one source, describing how immobilization protocols are adapted for prolonged dental work, why airway management, monitoring, and analgesia are critical, and how recovery is planned for safe return to enclosures. It matters because dental disease is a significant welfare and health issue in captive felids, and safe anesthesia is the prerequisite for the specialized dental care that preserves these animals' comfort and function.