Rescued Ukrainian Lion Undergoes Essential Dental Operation
The Big Cat Sanctuary
An adolescent female lion rescued from war-torn Ukraine has received vital dental surgery to extract a severely infected fang resulting from an abscess.
The lioness was brought to a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on 14 March following a campaign by director Cam Whitnall, who raised half a million pounds to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.
The Rescue Center
The procedure was performed on last week by veterinary dentist Peter Kertesz, who has treated about 450 big cats.
"Upon inspecting Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see right away the broken tooth was severely infected," stated Mr Kertesz.
He believed the infection was caused by a trauma sustained more than a year ago, causing germs creating harmful substances within the fang.
"The approach I follow is non-human oral health issues should be addressed in the safest, the least invasive and most secure manner," he said.
Mr Kertesz explained that as Lira no longer required to hunt for food, removal was the most "logical and humane option."
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The rescue center reported the extracted tooth was 3.14 inches in length, with the dentist having to extract a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and close the large wound with multiple absorbable stitches.
He additionally conducted a root canal treatment on the corresponding top fang, which was also found to be infected.
The curator, curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said the procedure was a "total triumph."
She said the staff had observed "a minor swelling on Lira's jawline" but it had been difficult to determine "how serious the condition was."
"Lira will be a little uncomfortable to initially, but now that the infectious materials are removed from her system, she will begin improving over the coming days," commented the curator.
This vital operation represents a major milestone in the lioness's healing process after her arrival from the conflict area.