Saved from Ukraine Lioness Receives Essential Dental Operation

The Big Cat Sanctuary

A three-year-old lioness saved from war-torn Ukraine has undergone vital oral operation to extract a severely infected canine tooth resulting from an infection.

Lira arrived at a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on 14 March following a campaign by managing director Cam Whitnall, who raised £500,000 to support her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The procedure was carried out on last week by dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has treated about 450 big cats.

"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see immediately the broken tooth was highly inflamed," said the dentist.

He thought the dental issue was due to a injury sustained over twelve months back, leading to germs producing toxins inside the tooth.

"My philosophy is non-human dental problems should be addressed in the most predictable, the most conservative and safest way," he said.

Mr Kertesz clarified that as the lioness did not need to catch prey, extraction was the most "sensible and ethical solution."

The Animal Rescue Facility

The sanctuary said the extracted tooth 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 dental procedure on the corresponding top fang, which was also found to be infected.

Briony Smith, manager at the facility, declared the operation was a "total triumph."

She said the team had spotted "a small lump on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to assess "the extent of the problem."

"The lioness will be somewhat sore to begin with, but now that the infectious materials are removed from her system, she will begin improving over the next few days," commented the curator.

This vital operation marks a major milestone in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.