🔗 Share this article

A Wildlife Rescue Center

An adolescent lioness saved from war-torn the war zone has undergone critical dental surgery to remove a severely infected canine tooth resulting from an abscess.

The lioness arrived at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 following a fundraising effort by managing director the sanctuary's leader, who raised half a million pounds to support her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The surgery was performed on last week by dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.

"Upon inspecting the lioness's oral cavity, I could see immediately the broken tooth was severely infected," stated the dentist.

He believed the dental issue was caused by a trauma sustained more than a year ago, leading to bacteria producing toxins inside the tooth.

"The approach I follow is animal dental problems need to be treated in the most predictable, the least invasive and most secure manner," he said.

Mr Kertesz clarified that as Lira did not need to hunt for food, removal was the most "logical and humane option."

The Animal Rescue Facility

The rescue center reported the removed fang was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with the dentist 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 Big Cat Sanctuary, declared 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 determine "the extent of the problem."

"The lioness will be somewhat sore to initially, but now that the toxins 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 rescue from Ukraine.