Saved from Ukraine Lion Undergoes Critical Dental Operation
The Big Cat Sanctuary
An adolescent lioness rescued from war-torn Ukraine has received critical dental surgery to remove a badly decayed fang caused by an infection.
The lioness was brought to a wildlife sanctuary in Kent, England on 14 March after a campaign by managing director Cam Whitnall, who collected £500,000 to support her and four other rescued lions.
The Rescue Center
The procedure was performed on last week by dentist Peter Kertesz, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.
"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see right away the damaged fang was highly inflamed," said the dentist.
He thought the dental issue was due to a trauma experienced over twelve months back, causing germs producing harmful substances within the fang.
"My philosophy is animal oral health issues need to be treated in the most predictable, the most conservative and safest way," he said.
Mr Kertesz explained that as the lioness no longer required to hunt for food, extraction was the most "logical and humane option."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The sanctuary said the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with Mr Kertesz having to remove a pocket of pus from under the fang 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.
Briony Smith, manager at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said the operation was a "complete success."
She noted the staff had spotted "a small lump on Lira's jawline" but it had been impossible to determine "how serious the condition was."
"The lioness will be a little uncomfortable to begin with, but now that the infectious materials are removed from her system, she will begin improving over the next few days," commented Ms Smith.
The successful surgery marks a major milestone in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.
