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The Big Cat Sanctuary

A three-year-old lioness saved from war-torn the war zone has received critical oral operation to extract a severely infected fang caused by an abscess.

The lioness was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 following a campaign by director Cam Whitnall, who raised £500,000 to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Rescue Center

The procedure was carried out on last week by veterinary dentist Peter Kertesz, who has treated about 450 big cats.

"When I examined Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see immediately the broken tooth was severely infected," said Mr Kertesz.

He believed the infection was caused by a injury experienced more than a year ago, leading to bacteria creating harmful substances within the fang.

"The approach I follow is animal dental problems need to be treated in the most predictable, the least invasive and safest way," he explained.

Mr Kertesz clarified that as the lioness no longer required to hunt for food, extraction was the most "logical and humane option."

The Animal Rescue Facility

The sanctuary reported the removed fang was 3.14 inches in length, with the dentist having to remove a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and close 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.

Briony Smith, curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary, declared the operation was a "total triumph."

She said the team had observed "a small lump on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to assess "the extent of the problem."

"Lira will be somewhat sore to begin with, but now that the infectious materials are removed from her system, she will start to feel much better over the next few days," commented Ms Smith.

The successful surgery marks a major milestone in the lioness's healing process after her rescue from Ukraine.