Rescued from Ukraine Lioness Receives Essential Surgery
The Big Cat Sanctuary
An adolescent lioness rescued from conflict-ridden the war zone has undergone critical oral operation to remove a severely infected fang caused by an abscess.
The lioness arrived at 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 four other rescued lions.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The procedure was performed on Friday by dentist Peter Kertesz, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.
"Upon inspecting Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see immediately the damaged fang was highly inflamed," stated the dentist.
He believed the infection was caused by a injury experienced more than a year ago, causing bacteria producing harmful substances inside the tooth.
"The approach I follow is animal oral health issues need to be treated in the most predictable, the most conservative and most secure manner," he explained.
Mr Kertesz explained 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 said the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with the dentist having to extract a accumulated infection from under the fang and seal the significant opening with seven dissolving sutures.
He additionally conducted a dental procedure on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was also found to be infected.
Briony Smith, manager at the facility, declared the procedure was a "complete success."
She noted the staff had observed "a minor swelling on Lira's jawline" but it had been difficult to assess "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," commented the curator.
This vital operation marks a significant step in the lioness's healing process after her arrival from the conflict area.
