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The Big Cat Sanctuary

An adolescent female lion saved from war-torn Ukraine has undergone critical dental surgery to extract a badly decayed canine tooth caused by an infection.

Lira was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England on March 14 after a fundraising effort by managing director Cam Whitnall, who raised £500,000 to support her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The procedure was carried out on Friday by veterinary dentist an experienced animal dentist, 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," stated Mr Kertesz.

He believed the infection was caused by a trauma experienced over twelve months back, leading to bacteria producing harmful substances within the fang.

"My philosophy is non-human oral health issues need to be treated in the safest, the least invasive and safest way," he explained.

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

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The sanctuary said the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with Mr Kertesz having to extract a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and seal the significant opening with seven dissolving sutures.

He additionally conducted a root canal treatment on the corresponding top fang, which was also found to be infected.

The curator, curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said the operation was a "complete success."

She noted the staff had spotted "a small lump on Lira's jawline" but it had been difficult to determine "how serious the condition was."

"The lioness will be somewhat sore to initially, but now that the infectious materials are removed from her system, she will start to feel much better over the coming days," added the curator.

This vital operation marks a major milestone in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.