Saved Ukrainian Lion Undergoes Essential Surgery

The Big Cat Sanctuary

A three-year-old female lion saved from war-torn Ukraine has received critical oral operation to extract a severely infected fang caused by an infection.

The lioness was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England on March 14 following a campaign by managing director the sanctuary's leader, who collected £500,000 to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Rescue Center

The procedure was carried out on Friday by veterinary dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has treated about 450 big cats.

"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see right away the damaged fang was highly inflamed," stated the dentist.

He thought the infection was caused by a trauma sustained more than a year ago, leading to bacteria producing harmful substances within the fang.

"The approach I follow is non-human oral health issues should be addressed in the safest, the most conservative and most secure manner," 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 Big Cat Sanctuary

The rescue center reported the extracted tooth was 3.14 inches in length, with Mr Kertesz having to extract a accumulated infection from beneath the tooth and seal 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.

Briony Smith, curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary, declared the procedure was a "total triumph."

She noted the staff had spotted "a small lump on the lioness's face" but it had been difficult to determine "the extent of the problem."

"The lioness will be somewhat sore to begin with, but now that the toxins are removed from her system, she will start to feel much better over the next few days," commented Ms Smith.

The successful surgery represents a significant step in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.