Saved from Ukraine Lion Undergoes Critical Dental Operation
A Wildlife Rescue Center
A three-year-old female lion rescued from war-torn the war zone has received vital dental surgery to remove a severely infected fang caused by an abscess.
Lira was brought to a wildlife sanctuary in Kent, England on March 14 following a campaign by director Cam Whitnall, who collected £500,000 to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.
The Rescue Center
The surgery was carried out on Friday by dentist Peter Kertesz, who has treated about 450 big cats.
"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see right away the broken tooth was highly inflamed," said the dentist.
He thought the infection was caused by a injury sustained over twelve months back, causing germs producing toxins inside the tooth.
"My philosophy is animal oral health issues should be addressed in the safest, the least invasive and most secure manner," he explained.
Mr Kertesz clarified that as Lira no longer required to hunt for food, extraction was the most "sensible and ethical solution."
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The rescue center reported the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with the dentist having to remove a pocket of pus from under the fang and seal the significant opening with multiple absorbable stitches.
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, declared the operation was a "total triumph."
She noted the staff had spotted "a small lump on Lira's jawline" but it had been impossible to determine "the extent of the problem."
"Lira will be somewhat sore to initially, 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.
The successful surgery marks a significant step in the lioness's healing process after her rescue from Ukraine.
