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The Big Cat Sanctuary

An adolescent lioness saved from war-torn the war zone has undergone critical dental surgery to remove a badly decayed fang resulting from an abscess.

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

The Rescue Center

The procedure was performed 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 right away the damaged fang was highly inflamed," stated Mr Kertesz.

He believed the dental issue was caused by a trauma experienced over twelve months back, causing germs producing toxins within the fang.

"The approach I follow is non-human oral health issues need to be treated in the most predictable, the least invasive and most secure manner," he explained.

Mr Kertesz explained that as Lira no longer required to catch prey, extraction was the most "logical and humane option."

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The sanctuary said the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with the dentist having to extract a accumulated infection from beneath the tooth and close the large wound with seven dissolving sutures.

He additionally conducted a dental procedure on the corresponding top fang, which was also found to be infected.

Briony Smith, manager at the facility, declared the operation was a "complete success."

She said the staff had observed "a minor swelling on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to assess "how serious the condition was."

"The lioness will be a little uncomfortable to begin with, but now that the toxins are removed from her system, she will begin improving over the next few days," commented Ms Smith.

The successful surgery marks a significant step in Lira's recovery after her arrival from the conflict area.