Vlad the tiger 'annoyed but alert' after risky op

Vlad the Amur tiger underwent a so-called "knock-down" procedure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

A 12-year-old tiger at a wildlife park in Yorkshire woke up "annoyed but alert" after a risky medical procedure, staff have said.

Vlad, an Amur tiger at the park near Doncaster, was unscathed after undergoing a general anaesthetic to enable staff to X-ray his spine.

The procedure - known as "knock-down" - could have caused Vlad to stop breathing or hallucinate, Kim Wilkins, carnivore team leader at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, said.

Vlad would be given a treat such as a horse leg once the effects of the anaesthetic had worn off "if he's lucky", Ms Wilkins said.

Keepers said the anaesthetic could stop him breathing or cause him to hallucinate

Staff at the park said they had previously noticed a curve in Vlad's spine, causing him discomfort and an "odd gait" when he walked.

As a result, he was prescribed painkillers, which helped, and was being observed daily to check his mobility and behaviour, they said.

The procedure was carried out to enable staff to X-ray Vlad's spine and take blood

However, Ms Wilkins said it was necessary for Vlad to have an X-ray once a year to monitor his condition, along with blood tests to check his liver and kidney function.

Initial indications from Wednesday's procedure were that there was no major change to Vlad's condition and he was recovering well from the anaesthetic.

"Tiger knock-downs are always heart-in-the-throat situations," Ms Wilkins said.

"We all breathed a huge sigh of relief when he sat up, looking mildly annoyed but alert."

Vlad is now recovering and will be given a treat once the anaesthetic wears off

Ms Wilkins said it was not known what had caused the condition, but Vlad's cubs were also being observed in case they developed the same issues as they got older.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park has three Amur tigers: male Vlad, who has been at the park for about 10 years, and two females, Sayan and Tschuna.

"Vlad is an absolutely lovely boy. He's very nice to his ladies and he's a proud grandad now," Ms Wilkins said.