Saved from Ukraine Lion Receives Critical Dental Operation
A Wildlife Rescue Center
A three-year-old female lion rescued from war-torn the war zone has undergone vital dental surgery to extract a severely infected canine tooth resulting from an abscess.
The lioness arrived at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England on 14 March after a fundraising effort by managing director Cam Whitnall, who raised half a million pounds to fund her and four other rescued lions.
The Rescue Center
The surgery was carried out 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 severely infected," said Mr Kertesz.
He thought the infection was due to a injury experienced over twelve months back, causing germs creating toxins within the fang.
"The approach I follow is non-human dental problems should be addressed in the most predictable, the most conservative and safest way," he explained.
The expert explained that as the lioness no longer required to catch prey, removal was the most "sensible and ethical solution."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The sanctuary reported the removed fang was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with Mr Kertesz having to extract a accumulated infection from beneath the tooth and close the large wound with multiple absorbable stitches.
He additionally conducted a dental procedure on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
The curator, manager at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said the procedure was a "total triumph."
She noted the staff had spotted "a small lump on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to determine "the extent of the problem."
"Lira will be a little uncomfortable to initially, but now that the toxins are removed from her system, she will start to feel much better over the coming days," commented Ms Smith.
The successful surgery represents a significant step in the lioness's healing process after her arrival from the conflict area.
