Rescued Ukrainian Lioness Undergoes Critical Surgery
A Wildlife Rescue Center
An adolescent female lion rescued from war-torn Ukraine has received vital oral operation to extract a badly decayed fang resulting from an abscess.
Lira arrived at a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 following a fundraising effort by managing director the sanctuary's leader, who raised half a million pounds to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The procedure was performed on last week by veterinary dentist Peter Kertesz, who has treated about 450 big cats.
"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see immediately the damaged fang was highly inflamed," stated Mr Kertesz.
He believed the infection was due to a trauma sustained more than a year ago, causing bacteria producing harmful substances within the fang.
"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 no longer required to hunt for food, removal was the most "logical and humane option."
The Animal Rescue Facility
The sanctuary reported the removed fang was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with Mr Kertesz having to extract a accumulated infection from under the fang and close the large wound 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, manager at the facility, declared the operation was a "complete success."
She noted the staff had observed "a minor swelling on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to assess "how serious the condition was."
"The lioness will be somewhat sore to initially, but now that the infectious materials are out of her body, she will start to feel much better over the coming days," commented the curator.
The successful surgery represents a significant step in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.
