Saved Ukrainian Lioness Undergoes Essential Surgery
A Wildlife Rescue Center
A three-year-old lioness saved from war-torn Ukraine has undergone critical dental surgery to remove a severely infected fang caused by an infection.
The lioness was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on 14 March following a fundraising effort by managing director Cam Whitnall, who raised half a million pounds to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.
The Rescue Center
The surgery was performed on Friday by veterinary dentist Peter Kertesz, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.
"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see immediately the broken tooth was severely infected," stated the dentist.
He believed the infection was caused by a trauma experienced over twelve months back, leading to bacteria producing toxins within the fang.
"My philosophy is animal dental problems need to be treated in the most predictable, the least invasive and safest way," he said.
Mr Kertesz clarified that as Lira did not need to catch prey, removal was the most "sensible and ethical solution."
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The sanctuary said the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with the dentist having to remove a pocket of pus from under the fang and seal the significant opening with multiple absorbable stitches.
He additionally conducted a root canal treatment on the corresponding top fang, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
Briony Smith, manager at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said the procedure was a "complete success."
She noted the staff had observed "a small lump on the lioness's face" but it had been difficult to assess "how serious the condition was."
"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," added the curator.
This vital operation marks a significant step in Lira's recovery after her arrival from the conflict area.