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The Big Cat Sanctuary

An adolescent lioness rescued from war-torn Ukraine has undergone vital oral operation to remove a severely infected fang caused by an abscess.

The lioness arrived at a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on 14 March following a fundraising effort by managing director Cam Whitnall, who raised half a million pounds to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Rescue Center

The procedure was performed on last week by dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has treated about 450 big cats.

"Upon inspecting the lioness's oral cavity, I could see immediately the damaged fang was severely infected," said the dentist.

He believed the dental issue was due to a injury experienced over twelve months back, causing bacteria producing toxins inside the tooth.

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

Mr Kertesz clarified that as Lira did not need to catch prey, extraction was the most "sensible and ethical solution."

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The sanctuary reported the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with the dentist having to remove a accumulated infection from beneath the tooth and seal the significant opening with seven dissolving sutures.

He also performed a dental procedure on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was also found to be infected.

Briony Smith, manager at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said the procedure was a "total triumph."

She said the team had observed "a small lump on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to determine "the extent of the problem."

"The lioness will be a little uncomfortable to initially, but now that the toxins are out of her body, she will start to feel much better over the next few days," commented Ms Smith.

This vital operation represents a major milestone in the lioness's healing process after her arrival from the conflict area.