Rescued from Ukraine Lion Receives Essential Surgery
A Wildlife Rescue Center
A three-year-old lioness saved from conflict-ridden the war zone has undergone vital dental surgery to remove a badly decayed fang caused by an infection.
The lioness was brought to a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 after a campaign by managing director the sanctuary's leader, who collected £500,000 to support her and four other rescued lions.
The Rescue Center
The procedure was performed on last week by dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.
"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see right away the broken tooth was highly inflamed," said Mr Kertesz.
He thought the infection was due to a trauma experienced over twelve months back, leading to germs creating toxins inside the tooth.
"The approach I follow is non-human dental problems need to be treated in the most predictable, the most conservative and safest way," he explained.
The expert clarified that as Lira did not need to catch prey, extraction was the most "logical and humane option."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The sanctuary said the removed fang was 3.14 inches in length, with Mr Kertesz having to extract a accumulated infection from beneath the tooth and close the significant opening with seven dissolving sutures.
He additionally conducted a root canal treatment on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was also found to be infected.
Briony Smith, manager at the facility, said the procedure was a "complete success."
She said the staff had spotted "a small lump on the lioness's face" but it had been difficult to determine "the extent of the problem."
"The lioness will be a little uncomfortable to initially, but now that the toxins are removed from her system, she will begin improving over the next few days," commented Ms Smith.
The successful surgery represents a major milestone in Lira's recovery after her arrival from the conflict area.
