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The Big Cat Sanctuary

A three-year-old female lion rescued from conflict-ridden the war zone has undergone critical dental surgery to remove a badly decayed fang caused by an infection.

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

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The surgery was performed on Friday by veterinary dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.

"Upon inspecting Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see immediately the broken tooth was severely infected," stated the dentist.

He believed the infection was caused by a injury sustained more than a year ago, causing bacteria producing harmful substances within the fang.

"The approach I follow is non-human oral health issues should be addressed in the safest, the least invasive and most secure manner," he said.

Mr Kertesz explained that as the lioness did not need to hunt for food, extraction was the most "sensible and ethical solution."

The Animal Rescue Facility

The sanctuary said the removed fang was 3.14 inches in length, with the dentist having to extract a accumulated infection from beneath the tooth and seal the large wound with seven dissolving sutures.

He also performed a root canal treatment on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was also found to be infected.

The curator, manager at the facility, said the procedure was a "total triumph."

She said the team had spotted "a small lump on Lira's jawline" but it had been difficult to determine "the extent of the problem."

"The lioness 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 the curator.

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