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The Big Cat Sanctuary

An adolescent lioness rescued from conflict-ridden the war zone has received vital oral operation to remove a severely infected canine tooth caused by an abscess.

The lioness arrived at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 after a campaign by director the sanctuary's leader, who raised £500,000 to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Rescue Center

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

"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see right away the broken tooth was highly inflamed," stated Mr Kertesz.

He thought the infection was due to a trauma experienced over twelve months back, causing bacteria creating toxins inside the tooth.

"The approach I follow is animal dental problems need to be treated in the most predictable, the most conservative and most secure manner," he explained.

Mr Kertesz clarified that as Lira no longer required to hunt for food, extraction was the most "sensible and ethical solution."

The Animal Rescue Facility

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

He also performed a root canal treatment on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was discovered to have a similar issue.

The curator, curator at the facility, declared the procedure was a "complete success."

She said the team had spotted "a minor swelling 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 begin with, but now that the infectious materials are out of her body, she will begin improving over the coming days," commented Ms Smith.

This vital operation represents a major milestone in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.