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A Wildlife Rescue Center

An adolescent female lion rescued from war-torn Ukraine has received vital dental surgery to extract a severely infected fang resulting from an infection.

The lioness arrived at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 following a fundraising effort by director Cam Whitnall, who raised £500,000 to fund her and four other rescued lions.

The Rescue Center

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

"Upon inspecting the lioness's oral cavity, I could see immediately the damaged fang was highly inflamed," stated Mr Kertesz.

He believed the dental issue was due to a trauma experienced more than a year ago, causing germs producing harmful substances inside the tooth.

"My philosophy is animal dental problems need to be treated in the most predictable, the most conservative and most secure manner," he said.

Mr Kertesz clarified that as Lira no longer required to hunt for food, removal was the most "logical and humane option."

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The rescue center said the extracted tooth was 3.14 inches in length, with the dentist having to extract a accumulated infection from beneath the tooth and seal the significant opening with multiple absorbable stitches.

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

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

She said the staff had spotted "a small lump on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to assess "how serious the condition was."

"Lira will be somewhat sore to begin with, but now that the toxins are out of her body, she will start to feel much better over the next few days," added Ms Smith.

This vital operation marks a significant step in the lioness's healing process after her rescue from Ukraine.