Rescued Ukrainian Lion Receives Critical Dental Operation
The Big Cat Sanctuary
A three-year-old lioness saved from conflict-ridden Ukraine has undergone critical dental surgery to remove a badly decayed fang caused by an infection.
Lira arrived at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on 14 March following a fundraising effort by director the sanctuary's leader, who collected half a million pounds to fund her and four other rescued lions.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The procedure was performed on last week by dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has treated about 450 big cats.
"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see right away the damaged fang was highly inflamed," said the dentist.
He thought the infection was caused by a trauma experienced more than a year ago, leading to bacteria producing toxins inside the tooth.
"The approach I follow is animal dental problems should be addressed in the safest, the least invasive and most secure manner," he said.
The expert explained that as Lira no longer required to catch prey, extraction was the most "sensible and ethical solution."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The rescue center reported the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with Mr Kertesz having to remove a pocket of pus from under the fang and close the large wound with multiple absorbable stitches.
He additionally conducted a root canal treatment on the corresponding top fang, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
The curator, manager at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said the operation was a "complete success."
She said the staff had observed "a small lump on Lira's jawline" but it had been difficult to determine "the extent of the problem."
"Lira will be somewhat sore to initially, 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 significant step in Lira's recovery after her arrival from the conflict area.
