Rescued from Ukraine Lion Undergoes Essential Dental Operation
A Wildlife Rescue Center
A three-year-old female lion saved from war-torn Ukraine has undergone critical dental surgery to remove a severely infected canine tooth resulting from an abscess.
Lira arrived at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England on 14 March following a fundraising effort by managing director the sanctuary's leader, who collected half a million pounds to fund her and four other rescued lions.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The procedure was performed on Friday by veterinary dentist Peter Kertesz, who has treated about 450 big cats.
"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see right away the damaged fang was severely infected," stated the dentist.
He thought the infection was caused by a injury experienced more than a year ago, leading to germs producing toxins within the fang.
"The approach I follow is non-human oral health issues need to be treated in the most predictable, the least invasive and most secure manner," he said.
The expert explained that as the lioness did not need to catch prey, 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 accumulated infection from beneath the tooth and close the significant opening with multiple absorbable stitches.
He additionally conducted a root canal treatment on the corresponding top fang, which was also found to be infected.
The curator, curator at the facility, declared the operation was a "total triumph."
She noted the team had spotted "a small lump on Lira's jawline" but it had been difficult to determine "how serious the condition was."
"Lira will be a little uncomfortable 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 the curator.
This vital operation marks a major milestone in the lioness's healing process after her rescue from Ukraine.
