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A Wildlife Rescue Center

A three-year-old female lion saved from war-torn Ukraine has received vital dental surgery to extract a severely infected canine tooth resulting from an abscess.

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

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The procedure was performed on Friday by veterinary dentist Peter Kertesz, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.

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

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

"The approach I follow is animal oral health issues should be addressed in the safest, the most conservative and safest way," he said.

The expert clarified that as Lira did not need to catch prey, removal was the most "logical and humane option."

The Animal Rescue Facility

The rescue center reported the extracted tooth was 3.14 inches in length, with Mr Kertesz having to remove a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and close the large wound 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 facility, said the procedure was a "total triumph."

She noted the team had observed "a minor swelling on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to determine "the extent of the problem."

"Lira will be a little uncomfortable to initially, but now that the toxins are removed from her system, she will begin improving over the coming days," commented Ms Smith.

This vital operation represents a major milestone in the lioness's healing process after her arrival from the conflict area.