🔗 Share this article

The Big Cat Sanctuary

An adolescent female lion saved from conflict-ridden the war zone has received vital oral operation to extract a severely infected fang resulting from an infection.

Lira was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on 14 March following a campaign by managing director Cam Whitnall, who raised £500,000 to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The procedure was performed on last week by veterinary dentist an experienced animal dentist, 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," stated the dentist.

He thought the dental issue was caused by a injury sustained over twelve months back, causing bacteria creating harmful substances inside the tooth.

"The approach I follow is non-human dental problems should be addressed in the safest, the most conservative and most secure manner," he explained.

The expert explained that as Lira did not need to catch prey, extraction was the most "sensible and ethical solution."

The Animal Rescue Facility

The rescue center said the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with Mr Kertesz having to extract a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and close the significant opening with seven dissolving sutures.

He additionally conducted a root canal treatment on the corresponding top fang, which was also found to be infected.

The curator, manager at The Big Cat Sanctuary, declared the procedure was a "total triumph."

She said the staff had observed "a small lump on Lira's jawline" but it had been difficult to assess "how serious the condition was."

"The lioness will be somewhat sore to begin with, but now that the toxins are out of her body, she will start to feel much better over the coming days," added the curator.

The successful surgery represents a significant step in Lira's recovery after her arrival from the conflict area.