Saved from Ukraine Lion Undergoes Essential Surgery
The Big Cat Sanctuary
An adolescent female lion saved from conflict-ridden Ukraine has undergone critical dental surgery to remove a badly decayed fang resulting from an abscess.
Lira arrived at a wildlife sanctuary in Kent, England on 14 March after a fundraising effort by director Cam Whitnall, who collected half a million pounds to support her and several other lions from Ukraine.
The Rescue Center
The procedure was performed on Friday by veterinary dentist Peter Kertesz, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.
"Upon inspecting Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see right away the damaged fang was highly inflamed," stated Mr Kertesz.
He thought the infection was due to a trauma experienced more than a year ago, leading to bacteria creating harmful substances inside the tooth.
"My philosophy is non-human dental problems need to be treated in the most predictable, the most conservative and most secure manner," he explained.
The expert explained that as the lioness did not need to catch prey, removal was the most "sensible and ethical solution."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The rescue center said the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with the dentist having to extract a pocket of pus from under the fang and seal the significant opening with multiple absorbable stitches.
He also performed a dental procedure on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
The curator, manager at The Big Cat Sanctuary, declared the procedure was a "complete success."
She noted the team had spotted "a minor swelling on the lioness's face" but it had been difficult to assess "how serious the condition was."
"Lira will be a little uncomfortable to initially, but now that the toxins are out of her body, she will start to feel much better over the next few days," added the curator.
The successful surgery represents a major milestone in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.
