Saved Ukrainian Lioness Receives Critical Dental Operation
A Wildlife Rescue Center
An adolescent female lion saved from conflict-ridden the war zone has received critical oral operation to extract a badly decayed canine tooth resulting from an infection.
Lira was brought to a wildlife sanctuary in Kent, England on March 14 after a campaign by director the sanctuary's leader, who collected half a million pounds to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.
The Rescue Center
The surgery was carried out on Friday by veterinary dentist Peter Kertesz, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.
"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see right away the broken tooth was severely infected," stated Mr Kertesz.
He believed the infection was caused by a trauma sustained over twelve months back, causing germs creating toxins within the fang.
"The approach I follow is non-human dental problems need to be treated in the safest, the least invasive and safest way," he said.
The expert explained that as the lioness no longer required to hunt for food, removal was the most "logical and humane option."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The sanctuary said the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with the dentist having to extract a accumulated infection from under the fang and seal the significant opening with multiple absorbable stitches.
He additionally conducted a dental procedure on the corresponding top fang, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
Briony Smith, curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary, declared the operation was a "total triumph."
She said the team had observed "a small lump on Lira's jawline" but it had been difficult to determine "how serious the condition was."
"Lira will be a little uncomfortable to begin with, but now that the toxins are out of her body, she will begin improving over the coming days," commented the curator.
The successful surgery represents a significant step in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.
