Rescued from Ukraine Lion Undergoes Critical Surgery
The Big Cat Sanctuary
A three-year-old lioness saved from war-torn the war zone has undergone critical oral operation to extract a severely infected fang caused by an abscess.
The lioness was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 following a campaign by director the sanctuary's leader, who raised £500,000 to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.
The Rescue Center
The procedure was carried out on Friday by dentist Peter Kertesz, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.
"Upon inspecting the lioness's oral cavity, I could see immediately the damaged fang was highly inflamed," said the dentist.
He thought the dental issue was caused by a injury sustained more than a year ago, causing germs producing harmful substances within the fang.
"The approach I follow is animal dental problems need to be treated in the safest, the least invasive and safest way," he said.
The expert clarified that as the lioness did not need to hunt for food, extraction was the most "logical and humane option."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The rescue center reported the removed fang was 3.14 inches in length, with the dentist having to remove a pocket of pus from under the fang and seal the large wound with multiple absorbable stitches.
He additionally conducted a dental procedure on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
The curator, curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said the procedure was a "complete success."
She noted the team had observed "a minor swelling on the lioness's face" but it had been difficult to determine "the extent of the problem."
"Lira will be somewhat sore to begin with, but now that the infectious materials are out of her body, she will start to feel much better over the next few days," commented the curator.
The successful surgery marks a major milestone in the lioness's healing process after her arrival from the conflict area.