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ZooTampa baboon fully recovers from life-changing oral surgery to treat rare dental condition

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Published  March 20, 2025 11:34am EDT
ZooTampa
FOX 13 News

The Brief

    • A baboon at ZooTampa was given a clean bill of health following surgery last August to treat a rare dental condition.
    • Six-year-old Silar was diagnosed with a dentigerous cyst—a fluid-filled sac surrounding an unerupted tooth—a condition rarely observed in humans or the larger primate family.
    • Two doctors who normally treat humans worked alongside ZooTampa’s Animal Health team during the first-of-its-kind procedure at the zoo.

TAMPA, Fla. - A baboon at ZooTampa has been given a clean bill of health after receiving oral surgery last summer from doctors who normally treat humans.

The backstory:

Silar, a 6-year-old baboon at ZooTampa, was diagnosed with a dentigerous cyst—a fluid-filled sac surrounding an unerupted tooth—a condition rarely observed in humans or the larger primate family.

READ: Newborn eastern bongos vital additions at ZooTampa

Because Silar’s case was so complicated, ZooTampa enlisted the help of human medical specialists, William J. Geyer, DDS, PA, and oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. John Longmire III, DDS, who came out of retirement to assist with the surgery.

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Courtesy: ZooTampa

In August 2024, Dr. Geyer and Dr. Longmire worked closely alongside ZooTampa’s Animal Health Team and Animal Care Professionals to plan and perform the delicate procedure. They safely removed the cyst before any bone weakening or fractures set in, which zoo staffers say would have significantly decreased Silar’s quality of life.

Since the surgery, veterinarians have closely monitored Silar’s recovery.

READ: ZooTampa welcomes a baby Siamang as officials say 'they are in trouble'

The multidisciplinary team recently conducted a follow-up checkup and gave Silar a clean bill of health.

Courtesy: ZooTampa

Courtesy: ZooTampa

What they're saying:

"Our goal is always to deliver the highest standard of care to the animals entrusted to us, and that may include stepping outside of conventional veterinary approaches," said Dr. Meredith Persky, ZooTampa’s Senior VP, Chief Conservation and Animal Health Officer and a board-certified specialist in zoological medicine. "Partnerships like this demonstrate our commitment to innovation in animal health and wellbeing."

"This unique collaboration was a fantastic learning experience and a meaningful reminder of how interconnected human and animal health really are," added Dr. Geyer. "It was a privilege to contribute to Silar’s wellbeing."

The Source: This story was written with information provided by ZooTampa.

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