Rescued from Ukraine Lioness Receives Critical Surgery
The Big Cat Sanctuary
An adolescent lioness saved from war-torn Ukraine has received critical dental surgery to remove a severely infected fang caused by an abscess.
Lira arrived at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 following a campaign by director Cam Whitnall, who collected £500,000 to fund her and four other rescued lions.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The procedure was performed on Friday by veterinary dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.
"Upon inspecting Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see right away the broken tooth was severely infected," said the dentist.
He thought the dental issue was caused by a trauma experienced over twelve months back, causing germs creating harmful substances inside the tooth.
"The approach I follow is animal oral health issues should be addressed in the safest, the most conservative and most secure manner," he explained.
The expert clarified that as the lioness no longer required to catch prey, extraction was the most "sensible and ethical solution."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The sanctuary 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 seal the significant opening with seven dissolving sutures.
He also performed a dental procedure on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
The curator, curator at the facility, said the operation was a "total triumph."
She noted the team had observed "a small lump on Lira's jawline" 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 start to feel much better over the next few days," commented Ms Smith.
The successful surgery represents a significant step in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.
