🔗 Share this article Rescued Ukrainian Lioness Receives Critical Dental Operation A Wildlife Rescue Center A lioness named Lira receiving essential dental care to extract a badly infected tooth An adolescent lioness rescued from war-torn the war zone has undergone vital oral operation to remove a badly decayed fang resulting from an abscess. The lioness was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England on 14 March after a campaign by managing director the sanctuary's leader, who raised half a million pounds to support her and several other lions from Ukraine. The Big Cat Sanctuary Amani and Lira are two of the big cats from Ukraine that arrived in March The surgery was carried out on Friday by dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has cared for hundreds of large felines. "When I examined Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see immediately the broken tooth was severely infected," said Mr Kertesz. He believed the dental issue was due to a injury experienced over twelve months back, causing bacteria producing harmful substances inside the tooth. "My philosophy is animal oral health issues should be addressed in the most predictable, the most conservative and safest way," he said. The expert explained that as the lioness did not need to catch prey, removal was the most "logical and humane option." The Big Cat Sanctuary Lira's extracted lower right canine tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long The sanctuary reported the removed fang was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with Mr Kertesz having to extract a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and close the large wound with multiple absorbable stitches. He also performed a root canal treatment on the corresponding top fang, which was also found to be infected. The curator, curator at the facility, said the operation was a "complete success." She noted the staff had spotted "a minor swelling on Lira's jawline" 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 removed from her system, she will start to feel much better over the coming days," commented Ms Smith. This vital operation represents a major milestone in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.