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The Big Cat Sanctuary

A three-year-old lioness rescued from war-torn Ukraine has undergone critical dental surgery to extract a severely infected canine tooth resulting from an abscess.

Lira arrived at a wildlife sanctuary in Kent, England on 14 March after a fundraising effort by director Cam Whitnall, who raised half a million pounds to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Rescue Center

The surgery was carried out on last week by veterinary dentist Peter Kertesz, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.

"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see right away the broken tooth was severely infected," said the dentist.

He believed the infection was caused by a trauma experienced more than a year ago, leading to germs producing toxins inside the tooth.

"My philosophy is animal dental problems should be addressed in the most predictable, the most conservative and safest way," he explained.

The expert clarified that as the lioness did not need to catch prey, removal was the most "sensible and ethical solution."

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The sanctuary said the extracted tooth was 3.14 inches in length, with Mr Kertesz having to extract a accumulated infection from under the fang 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 facility, said the procedure was a "total triumph."

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

"The lioness will be a little uncomfortable to begin with, but now that the infectious materials are removed from her system, she will begin improving over the coming days," added Ms Smith.

The successful surgery represents a significant step in the lioness's healing process after her arrival from the conflict area.