Hide! The Tiger's Mouth is Open Wide! Read Online Free PDF Page A

‘that fur is super-sensitive. It can detect the smallest pressure or faintest movement.’
    ‘Look at his massive paws,’ said Tom, stroking one of Ziggy’s front legs.
    ‘Those paws are pretty incredible too,’ said Mr Nightingale. ‘Like most other cats, he can decide when to show his claws and when to put them away. Imagine being able to move your fingernails in and out!’
    Tom and Sophie looked down at Ziggy in wonder, their mouths open.
    ‘There’s – there’s – no way he could wake up, is there?’ Tom asked.
    Mr Nightingale smiled and shook his head. ‘It’s not likely, and we’d get some warning. Chances are he’ll wake up in about three hours, happy and rested.’
    However, just at that moment, the truck went over a bump on the path and Ziggy seemed to stir.
    Tom and Sophie sprang back against the side of the van.
    ‘D-Dad . . .’ stammered Tom, ‘you said . . .’
    A split second later, the van swerved to the left left and Ziggy appeared to lift up two of his legs.
    ‘He moved, Dad. He moved!’ Sophie exclaimed.
    ‘For goodness’ sake, you two,’ Mr Nightingale said. ‘It’s just the movement of the van. He’s fast asleep. Honestly.’
    Mr Nightingale put his face next to Ziggy’s. ‘Sleeping like a baby!’ he said.
    Sophie smiled and relaxed.
    Tom calmed down slightly, but stayed right against the side of the van, one arm on the door handle.
    A couple of minutes later they reached the hospital. Mr Nightingale and some vets carried Ziggy carefully in through the door and along the corridor before gently laying him on an operating table.
    Mrs Nightingale checked his oxygen supply and the monitor cables.
    Tom and Sophie were allowed to stand in the room next door and watch through a glass screen. There was a speaker above them, so they could also hear everything that Dr Sharp, Mrs Nightingale and Violet were saying.
    Everyone in the operating room put on a mask and gown, scrubbed their hands and pulled on gloves. Then they turned back to Ziggy.
    ‘OK, let’s start with a general check-up,’ Dr Sharp said.
    He gently tugged on Ziggy’s huge tongue – which stretched as if it was made of rubber. At the same time, Mrs Nightingale carefully held Ziggy’s mouth wide open, so Dr Sharp could see right into the back of the tiger’s mouth.
     

     
    Dr Sharp tapped and scraped with a long metal tool.
    ‘A tiger’s back teeth are called carnassials. They’re very strong and very sharp. They’re not round and flat like our molars because tigers don’t really chew as such. They just tear meat off and swallow.’
    Dr Sharp nodded at Violet. ‘All fine there. Let’s take a closer look at that upper canine.’
    He lifted Ziggy’s upper lip.
    ‘Now, a tiger’s canines are the longest of any cat,’ Dr Sharp continued. ‘Longer than a lion’s, longer than a jaguar’s. They’re about fifteen centimetres, and their roots go right up into the tiger’s skull.’
    Violet whispered something to Dr Sharp and he nodded.
    ‘That’s true, the clouded leopard’s tigers are longer in relation to its body size,’ he said. ‘Good point, Violet.’
    He peered underneath Ziggy’s lip and inspected his gums.
    ‘The thing is though,’ said Dr Sharp, ‘tigers’ teeth aren’t so different to ours. They get plaque like we do. They can need fillings too. And, as in this case, they can also get infections.’
    Tom looked at Sophie with a worried expression. An infection sounded bad.
    ‘The infection has spread into his gum and, if we don’t intervene, it could spread through his whole body and make him very sick indeed,’ Dr Sharp said.
    Sophie looked back at Tom, also worried.
    ‘So at least we know he’s got an infected canine. What’s the plan?’ Mrs Nightingale asked.
    ‘A pretty basic procedure,’ replied Violet. ‘It’s called root canal work.’
    ‘Oh, OK,’ Mrs Nightingale said, nodding. ‘You did that to me last year.’
    ‘What that means,’ said Violet, glancing up