Rescued Ukrainian Lioness Undergoes Critical Surgery
The Big Cat Sanctuary
A three-year-old lioness rescued from war-torn Ukraine has received vital dental surgery to extract a badly decayed canine tooth resulting from an abscess.
Lira was brought to a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on 14 March following a campaign by director Cam Whitnall, who raised half a million pounds to support her and four other rescued lions.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The procedure was performed on Friday by dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.
"When I examined Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see immediately the broken tooth was severely infected," said the dentist.
He believed the infection was due to a trauma sustained over twelve months back, causing germs producing harmful substances inside the tooth.
"The approach I follow is non-human dental problems should be addressed in the safest, the least invasive and safest way," he explained.
Mr Kertesz clarified that as Lira did not need to hunt for food, removal was the most "sensible and ethical solution."
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The sanctuary reported the extracted tooth was 3.14 inches in length, with the dentist having to extract a accumulated infection from beneath the tooth and close the large wound with multiple absorbable stitches.
He also performed a root canal treatment on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
The curator, curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary, declared the procedure was a "total triumph."
She noted the staff had observed "a minor swelling on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to determine "the extent of the problem."
"Lira will be a little uncomfortable to begin with, but now that the toxins are removed from her system, she will begin improving over the next few days," added the curator.
This vital operation represents a major milestone in the lioness's healing process after her rescue from Ukraine.
