Rescued from Ukraine Lion Undergoes Essential Dental Operation
A Wildlife Rescue Center
A three-year-old female lion rescued from war-torn Ukraine has undergone vital dental surgery to remove a severely infected fang caused by an infection.
Lira arrived at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England on 14 March after a fundraising effort by director Cam Whitnall, who raised half a million pounds to support her and four other rescued lions.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The procedure was performed on Friday by dentist Peter Kertesz, who has treated about 450 big cats.
"Upon inspecting the lioness's oral cavity, I could see right away the damaged fang was severely infected," stated Mr Kertesz.
He thought the dental issue was due to a injury sustained more than a year ago, leading to germs producing toxins inside the tooth.
"My philosophy is non-human dental problems need to be treated in the safest, the least invasive and most secure manner," he explained.
Mr Kertesz clarified that as Lira did not need to hunt for food, removal was the most "logical and humane option."
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The sanctuary reported the removed fang was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with the dentist having to remove a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and seal the large wound with multiple absorbable stitches.
He also performed a root canal treatment on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was also found to be infected.
The curator, curator at the facility, declared the procedure was a "complete success."
She noted the staff had spotted "a small lump on the lioness's face" but it had been difficult to assess "the extent of the problem."
"Lira will be somewhat sore to initially, but now that the infectious materials are out of her body, she will begin improving over the next few days," added the curator.
This vital operation represents a major milestone in the lioness's healing process after her rescue from Ukraine.
