Saved Ukrainian Lioness Undergoes Critical Dental Operation
A Wildlife Rescue Center
A three-year-old lioness rescued from war-torn the war zone has received vital oral operation to extract a severely infected fang caused by an infection.
The lioness arrived at a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 following a campaign by director Cam Whitnall, who collected £500,000 to fund her and four other rescued lions.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The procedure was performed on last week by dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.
"Upon inspecting Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see right away the broken tooth was highly inflamed," stated Mr Kertesz.
He thought the dental issue was caused by a trauma sustained over twelve months back, leading to bacteria creating toxins within the fang.
"My philosophy is non-human dental problems should be addressed in the most predictable, the least invasive and safest way," he explained.
Mr Kertesz explained that as the lioness no longer required to hunt for food, removal was the most "sensible and ethical solution."
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The rescue center said the removed fang was 3.14 inches in length, with the dentist having to remove a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and seal the significant opening with seven dissolving sutures.
He additionally conducted a dental procedure on the corresponding top fang, which was also found to be infected.
The curator, curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said the operation was a "total triumph."
She said the team had spotted "a minor swelling on the lioness's face" but it had been difficult to determine "how serious the condition was."
"The lioness will be somewhat sore to begin with, but now that the infectious materials are removed from her system, she will begin improving over the coming days," added the curator.
The successful surgery marks a significant step in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.
