Rescued from Ukraine Lioness Undergoes Essential Surgery
The Big Cat Sanctuary
An adolescent female lion rescued from war-torn the war zone has received vital oral operation to remove a severely infected fang resulting from an abscess.
The lioness arrived at a wildlife sanctuary in Kent, England on March 14 following a campaign by director Cam Whitnall, who raised £500,000 to fund her and four other rescued lions.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The surgery was carried out on Friday by dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has treated about 450 big cats.
"When I examined Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see right away the damaged fang was highly inflamed," said the dentist.
He thought the dental issue was due to a trauma experienced more than a year ago, leading to bacteria creating harmful substances inside the tooth.
"The approach I follow is animal oral health issues should be addressed in the most predictable, the least invasive and most secure manner," he said.
Mr Kertesz clarified that as the lioness no longer required to catch prey, removal was the most "sensible and ethical solution."
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The sanctuary said the removed fang was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with Mr Kertesz having to extract a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and close the large wound with seven dissolving sutures.
He additionally conducted a dental procedure on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
The curator, manager at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said the operation was a "complete success."
She noted the team had spotted "a minor swelling on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to determine "how serious the condition was."
"Lira will be somewhat sore to initially, but now that the toxins are out of her body, she will begin improving over the next few days," added Ms Smith.
This vital operation represents a major milestone in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.
