Rescued from Ukraine Lioness Undergoes Essential Surgery
The Big Cat Sanctuary
An adolescent lioness saved from conflict-ridden Ukraine has undergone vital dental surgery to extract a badly decayed canine tooth resulting from an infection.
Lira arrived at a wildlife sanctuary in Kent, England on 14 March after a campaign by director Cam Whitnall, who raised £500,000 to support her and four other rescued lions.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The procedure was performed on last week by veterinary dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has treated about 450 big cats.
"Upon inspecting Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see immediately the broken tooth was highly inflamed," said Mr Kertesz.
He believed the infection was due to a injury sustained more than a year ago, causing bacteria creating toxins inside the tooth.
"My philosophy is animal dental problems need to be treated in the safest, the most conservative and safest way," he explained.
Mr Kertesz clarified that as Lira no longer required to hunt for food, removal was the most "logical and humane option."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The rescue center reported the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with the dentist having to extract 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.
Briony Smith, manager at the facility, declared the procedure 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."
"The lioness will be somewhat sore to begin with, but now that the toxins are out of her body, she will start to feel much better over the next few days," commented Ms Smith.
The successful surgery marks a significant step in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.
