Saved from Ukraine Lion Receives Critical Dental Operation
A Wildlife Rescue Center
A three-year-old lioness saved from conflict-ridden the war zone has undergone critical oral operation to extract a severely infected fang caused by an infection.
The lioness arrived at a wildlife sanctuary in Kent, England on 14 March following a fundraising effort by managing director Cam Whitnall, who collected half a million pounds to support her and several other lions from Ukraine.
The Big Cat Sanctuary
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 damaged fang was highly inflamed," said Mr Kertesz.
He believed the dental issue was caused by a injury experienced over twelve months back, leading to bacteria producing harmful substances inside the tooth.
"My philosophy is non-human oral health issues need to be treated in the safest, the most conservative and most secure manner," he explained.
The expert explained that as the lioness no longer required to catch prey, extraction was the most "logical and humane option."
The Big Cat Sanctuary
The sanctuary reported the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with Mr Kertesz having to remove a accumulated infection from under the fang and close the significant opening with multiple absorbable stitches.
He additionally conducted a root canal treatment on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was discovered to have a similar issue.
Briony Smith, curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary, declared the operation was a "total triumph."
She noted the staff had observed "a minor swelling on the lioness's face" but it had been difficult to assess "the extent of the problem."
"The lioness will be a little uncomfortable to begin with, but now that the toxins are removed from her system, she will start to feel much better over the coming days," commented Ms Smith.
This vital operation represents a significant step in the lioness's healing process after her arrival from the conflict area.
