Fish Is So Happy With Her Perfect New Smile After Visit To The Dentist

"Goldie is truly a well beloved member of the family."

This is Goldie — a friendly pet pufferfish who seems to always be in a cheerful, upbeat mood. And for Goldie's adoring owner, Mark Byatt, that joyful spirit is contagious.

"She has such a great personality!" Byatt told The Dodo. "She’s a very happy fish in general."

When Goldie is happy, it shows. But up until recently, it showed just a bit too much.

Mark Byatt

Pufferfish like Goldie actually have teeth which fuse together to resemble one large tooth. This tooth is always growing, too, to make up for the wear caused by their diet of shellfish.

Goldie always munches on these hard-shelled snacks. But for some reason, in recent months, her chompers grew faster than they were being ground down, leaving her teeth longer than they should be.

Byatt was worried it would eventually hinder her ability to eat, so he brought her to the experts at the Sandhole Veterinary Centre for help.

Goldie was sedated so dental work could be performed with little stress to her.

Her overgrown tooth was then carefully trimmed down.

"We use fish-safe anesthetic and [nurse] Debbie held her with a towel, often placing her back into the water," the clinic wrote.

The surgery was a success — and Goldie was left with a much healthier grin.

Mark Byatt

"She is very happy with her new smile!" Byatt said.

To see Goldie now leaves no doubt about it.

Mark Byatt

Thanks to the dental work, Goldie is able to enjoy her food much more comfortably.

But her reasons for being happy don't end there.

Mark Byatt

Goldie's owner simply adorers her — and he makes sure she knows it, too.

"She is well worth all the time and money I spend making sure she is living in the best conditions and having a happy, healthy life," Byatt said. "Goldie is truly a well-beloved member of the family."

To learn more about Goldie, and to keep up on her progress, follow her on Instagram.