Rescued from Ukraine Lioness Undergoes Essential Dental Operation
A Wildlife Rescue Center
An adolescent lioness rescued from war-torn the war zone has received vital dental surgery to remove a badly decayed fang caused by an abscess.
The lioness was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 after a campaign by director the sanctuary's leader, who raised half a million pounds to support her and four other rescued lions.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The procedure was carried out on Friday by veterinary dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.
"Upon inspecting the lioness's oral cavity, I could see right away the damaged fang was severely infected," stated the dentist.
He thought the dental issue was due to a trauma sustained more than a year ago, leading to bacteria creating toxins within the fang.
"The approach I follow is non-human dental problems should be addressed in the most predictable, the most conservative and most secure manner," he said.
The expert explained that as Lira no longer required to catch prey, removal was the most "logical and humane option."
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The sanctuary said the extracted tooth was 3.14 inches in length, with the dentist having to remove a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and seal the large wound with multiple absorbable stitches.
He additionally conducted a dental procedure on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
The curator, curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary, declared the operation was a "total triumph."
She said the staff had spotted "a small lump on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to assess "the extent of the problem."
"Lira will be a little uncomfortable to begin with, but now that the toxins are out of her body, she will begin improving over the coming days," commented Ms Smith.
The successful surgery represents a significant step in Lira's recovery after her arrival from the conflict area.
