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Food as Toothbrush

“As with almost every aspect of preventative health care for
our animals, oral health care is a collaborative effort,” said
Chinnadurai. A key collaborator is Jennifer Watts, Ph.D.,
director of Brookfield Zoo’s Nutrition Services department.
Brookfield Zoo is one of only about 25 institutions—out of
238 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos Above: Animals receive enrichment items that stimulate activity and clean their
and Aquariums, with a full-time professional nutritionist on staff. teeth as they chew. Bones do the trick for big cats and herbivores enjoy browse.
Oral health care starts with giving animals nutritious foods
to eat and limiting sugary foods and beverages. “We have to Whenever she can, Watts includes commercially prepared
make sure we’re not giving the bacteria that are already in an diets. They come in hard pellets or crunchy biscuits, are nutri-
animal’s mouth anything more to cause it to proliferate and ent-packed, and are available in a variety of flavors, textures,
cause problems,” said Watts. For an occasional treat, animals and shapes. There are different formulations for different groups
receive sugar-free versions of their favorite foods and beverages, or species of animals, such as primates, black rhinos, insectivores,
including sugar-free Jell-O and Crystal Light. Watts also limits and horses.
the amount of fresh fruits they consume because domesticated Additionally, many of the carnivores receive bones or rawhide
fruits contain more sugar than fruits found in the wild. to chew on that help strip cavity-forming plaque off teeth.
Vegetables take the place of fruits. “We give the bears and the painted dogs rawhide,” said Watts.
“The important thing is to always include something hard “The big cats don’t like rawhide, so we use regular bones.”
or crunchy in the diet that can help clean the animals’ teeth Watts purchases whole goat carcasses for the African painted
as they’re eating it,” said Watts. “Feeding animals all soft foods dog pack and whole deer carcasses for the Mexican wolf pack.
allows the calculus and the tartar to build up on their teeth.” The zoo’s herbivores, or plant-eating animals, receive browse,
Dried foods produce friction on their teeth. which are cuttings from Watts-approved vegetation. “Browse is

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