Rescued from Ukraine Lion Undergoes Critical Surgery
A Wildlife Rescue Center
A three-year-old lioness saved from conflict-ridden the war zone has undergone vital dental surgery to remove a badly decayed canine tooth caused by an infection.
Lira was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England on March 14 after a campaign by director the sanctuary's leader, who collected £500,000 to support her and four other rescued lions.
The Rescue Center
The procedure was performed on Friday by 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 highly inflamed," stated Mr Kertesz.
He believed the dental issue was due to a trauma sustained over twelve months back, leading to bacteria creating toxins inside the tooth.
"My philosophy is animal oral health issues should be addressed in the most predictable, the least invasive and safest way," he said.
Mr Kertesz clarified that as Lira did not need to catch prey, removal was the most "logical and humane option."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The sanctuary said the removed fang was 3.14 inches in length, with Mr Kertesz having to extract a pocket of pus from under the fang and seal the large wound with seven dissolving sutures.
He additionally conducted a dental procedure on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was also found to be infected.
Briony Smith, manager at the facility, said the procedure was a "total triumph."
She said the team had observed "a small lump on Lira's jawline" but it had been impossible to determine "how serious the condition was."
"Lira will be somewhat sore to begin with, but now that the toxins are out of her body, she will begin improving over the next few days," commented the curator.
This vital operation marks a major milestone in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.
