The Big Cat Sanctuary
A three-year-old female lion rescued from war-torn Ukraine has received vital dental surgery to extract a severely infected fang caused by an abscess.
The lioness arrived at a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 after a fundraising effort by managing director Cam Whitnall, who collected £500,000 to fund her and four other rescued lions.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The surgery was performed on Friday by dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has treated about 450 big cats.
"Upon inspecting the lioness's oral cavity, I could see immediately the damaged fang was severely infected," stated the dentist.
He thought the infection was caused by a trauma experienced more than a year ago, leading to bacteria creating harmful substances inside the tooth.
"My philosophy is animal oral health issues need to be treated in the most predictable, the most conservative and safest way," he explained.
The expert explained that as Lira did not need to catch prey, removal was the most "sensible and ethical solution."
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The sanctuary reported the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with Mr Kertesz having to remove a pocket of pus from under the fang and close the large wound with seven dissolving sutures.
He also performed a dental procedure on the corresponding top fang, which was also found to be infected.
The curator, 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 assess "how serious the condition was."
"Lira will be somewhat sore to initially, but now that the infectious materials are removed from her system, she will begin improving over the next few days," commented the curator.
The successful surgery represents a major milestone in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.
