The Big Cat Sanctuary
An adolescent female lion rescued from conflict-ridden Ukraine has received critical oral operation to extract a severely infected fang resulting from an infection.
Lira was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England on March 14 after a fundraising effort by director Cam Whitnall, who collected £500,000 to support her and several other lions from Ukraine.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The procedure was carried out on Friday by dentist Peter Kertesz, who has treated about 450 big cats.
"When I examined Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see right away the damaged fang was severely infected," said the dentist.
He thought the dental issue was caused by a trauma sustained more than a year ago, leading to germs producing toxins within the fang.
"My philosophy is animal dental problems need to be treated in the most predictable, the least invasive and most secure manner," he said.
Mr Kertesz clarified that as Lira did not need to catch prey, extraction was the most "logical and humane option."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The rescue center said the removed fang was 3.14 inches in length, with Mr Kertesz having to extract a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and seal the large wound with seven dissolving sutures.
He additionally conducted a dental procedure on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
The curator, manager at the facility, declared the procedure was a "total triumph."
She said the staff had spotted "a minor swelling on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to assess "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 begin improving over the coming days," commented the curator.
The successful surgery marks a major milestone in the lioness's healing process after her rescue from Ukraine.
A certified yoga instructor and wellness coach passionate about holistic health and mindfulness.
