Saved Ukrainian Lion Undergoes Critical Dental Operation
A Wildlife Rescue Center
A three-year-old lioness rescued from war-torn the war zone has undergone vital dental surgery to extract a badly decayed canine tooth resulting from an abscess.
The lioness arrived at a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 after a campaign by director Cam Whitnall, who collected £500,000 to fund her and four other rescued lions.
The Rescue Center
The procedure was performed on last week by veterinary dentist Peter Kertesz, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.
"Upon inspecting the lioness's oral cavity, I could see right away the broken tooth was highly inflamed," said the dentist.
He thought the infection was caused by a injury sustained over twelve months back, leading to bacteria producing harmful substances within the fang.
"My philosophy is animal dental problems should be addressed in the most predictable, the most conservative and safest way," he said.
The expert explained that as the lioness did not need to hunt for food, removal was the most "logical and humane option."
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The sanctuary said the extracted tooth was 3.14 inches in length, with Mr Kertesz having to extract a accumulated infection from beneath the tooth and seal the significant opening with seven dissolving sutures.
He also performed a root canal treatment on the corresponding top fang, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
The curator, manager at The Big Cat Sanctuary, declared the procedure was a "complete success."
She noted the staff had spotted "a minor swelling on Lira's jawline" but it had been difficult to determine "the extent of the problem."
"Lira 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 next few days," added the curator.
The successful surgery marks a significant step in Lira's recovery after her arrival from the conflict area.
