Saved from Ukraine Lion Receives Critical Dental Operation

A Wildlife Rescue Center

A three-year-old female lion saved from war-torn Ukraine has undergone vital dental surgery to remove a severely infected fang caused by an infection.

The lioness arrived at a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 after a campaign by director Cam Whitnall, who collected £500,000 to support her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The procedure was performed on Friday by dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.

"Upon inspecting the lioness's oral cavity, I could see immediately the broken tooth was highly inflamed," said the dentist.

He thought the infection was due to a trauma experienced more than a year ago, causing germs creating toxins within the fang.

"My philosophy is non-human dental problems need to be treated in the safest, the most conservative and safest way," he explained.

Mr Kertesz explained that as the lioness no longer required to hunt for food, extraction was the most "logical and humane option."

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The sanctuary said the removed fang was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with Mr Kertesz having to extract a accumulated infection from under the fang and seal the large wound with multiple absorbable stitches.

He also performed a root canal treatment on the corresponding top fang, which was discovered to have a similar issue.

Briony Smith, curator at the facility, declared the operation was a "total triumph."

She said the team had observed "a minor swelling on Lira's jawline" but it had been impossible to assess "the extent of the problem."

"Lira will be a little uncomfortable to initially, but now that the infectious materials are removed from her system, she will begin improving over the next few days," added the curator.

The successful surgery represents a major milestone in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.