Rescued Ukrainian Lioness Undergoes Essential Surgery
The Big Cat Sanctuary
A three-year-old lioness rescued from conflict-ridden Ukraine has undergone vital dental surgery to extract a badly decayed canine tooth resulting from an infection.
The lioness arrived at a wildlife sanctuary in Kent, England on 14 March after a campaign by director Cam Whitnall, who raised £500,000 to fund her and four other rescued lions.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The surgery was carried out on Friday by veterinary dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.
"Upon inspecting Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see immediately the damaged fang was severely infected," said the dentist.
He thought the infection was caused by a injury experienced more than a year ago, leading to bacteria producing harmful substances inside the tooth.
"The approach I follow is non-human oral health issues need to be treated in the most predictable, the most conservative and most secure manner," he explained.
Mr Kertesz clarified that as Lira no longer required to catch prey, extraction was the most "sensible and ethical solution."
The Big Cat Sanctuary
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 seal the large wound with seven dissolving sutures.
He also performed a dental procedure on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
Briony Smith, manager at the facility, declared the procedure was a "total triumph."
She noted the team had observed "a minor swelling on Lira's jawline" but it had been impossible to assess "how serious the condition was."
"The lioness will be somewhat sore 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 Ms Smith.
This vital operation represents a major milestone in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.
