Saved Ukrainian Lioness Receives Critical Surgery

A Wildlife Rescue Center

An adolescent female lion rescued from war-torn Ukraine has received critical dental surgery to extract a badly decayed fang resulting from an infection.

The lioness was brought to a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 following a campaign by managing director the sanctuary's leader, who collected half a million pounds to support her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Rescue Center

The surgery was performed on last week by dentist Peter Kertesz, who has treated about 450 big cats.

"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see right away the broken tooth was severely infected," said Mr Kertesz.

He believed the dental issue was due to a trauma experienced more than a year ago, causing bacteria producing toxins within the fang.

"The approach I follow is non-human dental problems need to be treated in the safest, the most conservative and most secure manner," he said.

The expert explained that as the lioness no longer required to catch prey, removal was the most "logical and humane option."

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The rescue center 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 significant opening with multiple absorbable stitches.

He also performed a root canal treatment on the corresponding top fang, which was discovered to have a similar issue.

Briony Smith, curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said the operation was a "complete success."

She noted the staff had observed "a minor swelling on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to assess "how serious the condition was."

"Lira will be a little uncomfortable to initially, 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 major milestone in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.