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The Big Cat Sanctuary

A three-year-old female lion saved from conflict-ridden the war zone has received critical oral operation to remove a severely infected canine tooth caused by an infection.

The lioness was brought to a wildlife sanctuary in Kent, England on 14 March after a fundraising effort by managing director Cam Whitnall, who collected £500,000 to fund her and four other rescued lions.

The Rescue Center

The procedure was performed on last week by dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has treated about 450 big cats.

"Upon inspecting Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see right away the broken tooth was highly inflamed," said the dentist.

He believed the dental issue was caused by a trauma experienced over twelve months back, leading to bacteria producing toxins within the fang.

"The approach I follow is animal dental problems should be addressed in the most predictable, the least invasive and most secure manner," he explained.

The expert explained that as Lira did not need to hunt for food, extraction was the most "logical and humane option."

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The rescue center said the extracted tooth was 3.14 inches in length, with the dentist having to extract a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and close the significant opening with multiple absorbable stitches.

He additionally conducted a root canal treatment on the corresponding top fang, which was discovered to have a similar issue.

The curator, manager at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said the operation was a "total triumph."

She said the team had spotted "a minor swelling on Lira's jawline" but it had been impossible to determine "how serious the condition was."

"The lioness will be a little uncomfortable 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 Ms Smith.

This vital operation represents a significant step in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.