Rescued from Ukraine Lioness Undergoes Essential Dental Operation
The Big Cat Sanctuary
A three-year-old female lion rescued from conflict-ridden the war zone has received vital dental surgery to remove a severely infected canine tooth resulting from an abscess.
The lioness was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England on 14 March following a campaign by managing director the sanctuary's leader, who raised half a million pounds to fund her and four other rescued lions.
The Rescue Center
The surgery was performed on Friday by veterinary dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.
"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see immediately the damaged fang was highly inflamed," stated the dentist.
He thought the infection was due to a trauma experienced more than a year ago, leading to germs creating toxins within the fang.
"The approach I follow is animal oral health issues need to be treated in the most predictable, the least invasive and safest way," he explained.
Mr Kertesz explained that as the lioness did not need to hunt for food, removal was the most "sensible and ethical solution."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The rescue center reported the removed fang was 3.14 inches in length, with Mr Kertesz having to remove 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 discovered to have a similar issue.
The curator, manager at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said the procedure was a "complete success."
She said the staff had spotted "a small lump on Lira's jawline" but it had been impossible to determine "how serious the condition was."
"Lira will be somewhat sore to begin with, but now that the toxins are removed from her system, she will begin improving over the next few days," added the curator.
This vital operation marks a major milestone in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.
