Rescued from Ukraine Lioness Undergoes Critical Dental Operation
A Wildlife Rescue Center
A three-year-old female lion rescued from war-torn Ukraine has undergone critical dental surgery to extract a badly decayed fang resulting from an abscess.
The lioness was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England on March 14 after a fundraising effort by managing director Cam Whitnall, who raised £500,000 to support her and four other rescued lions.
The Rescue Center
The procedure was performed on last week by veterinary dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has treated about 450 big cats.
"Upon inspecting Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see right away the broken tooth was severely infected," stated the dentist.
He believed the infection was due to a trauma sustained more than a year ago, leading to germs producing toxins within the fang.
"My philosophy is non-human dental problems need to be treated in the most predictable, the least invasive and safest way," he said.
Mr Kertesz clarified that as Lira did not need to catch prey, extraction was the most "logical and humane option."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The sanctuary said the removed fang was 3.14 inches in length, with Mr Kertesz having to extract a accumulated infection from under the fang and seal the large wound with multiple absorbable stitches.
He also performed a root canal treatment on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
Briony Smith, manager at the facility, said the operation was a "total triumph."
She said the staff had observed "a minor swelling on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to determine "how serious the condition was."
"Lira will be a little uncomfortable to begin with, but now that the infectious materials are out of her body, she will start to feel much better over the coming days," added the curator.
This vital operation marks a significant step in the lioness's healing process after her arrival from the conflict area.
