Rescued Ukrainian Lioness Receives Essential Surgery
A Wildlife Rescue Center
An adolescent female lion rescued from conflict-ridden Ukraine has received critical dental surgery to extract a severely infected canine tooth caused by an abscess.
Lira was brought to a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 after a campaign by director the sanctuary's leader, who raised £500,000 to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The procedure was performed on Friday by veterinary dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.
"When I examined Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see immediately the broken tooth was highly inflamed," said the dentist.
He believed the infection was caused by a injury sustained over twelve months back, leading to germs creating toxins inside the tooth.
"My philosophy is non-human oral health issues should be addressed in the most predictable, the least invasive and most secure manner," he explained.
The expert explained that as Lira no longer required to hunt for food, removal was the most "logical and humane option."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The rescue center said the removed fang was 3.14 inches in length, with Mr Kertesz having to extract a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and close the significant opening with multiple absorbable stitches.
He additionally conducted a root canal treatment on the corresponding top fang, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
Briony Smith, manager at The Big Cat Sanctuary, declared the operation was a "complete success."
She said the team had spotted "a small lump on Lira's jawline" but it had been impossible to determine "the extent of the problem."
"The lioness will be a little uncomfortable to begin with, but now that the infectious materials are out of her body, she will begin improving over the coming days," added the curator.
The successful surgery represents a major milestone in the lioness's healing process after her rescue from Ukraine.
