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The Big Cat Sanctuary

A three-year-old female lion saved from war-torn Ukraine has received critical oral operation to extract a severely infected canine tooth resulting from an infection.

Lira was brought to a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on 14 March following a fundraising effort by managing director Cam Whitnall, who collected half a million pounds to fund her and four other rescued lions.

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The procedure was performed on last week by veterinary dentist Peter Kertesz, 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," said the dentist.

He believed the infection was caused by a trauma sustained over twelve months back, causing germs creating harmful substances inside the tooth.

"The approach I follow is animal dental problems need to be treated in the most predictable, the least invasive and most secure manner," he explained.

Mr Kertesz explained that as the lioness no longer required to catch prey, removal 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 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 also found to be infected.

The curator, manager at the facility, declared the operation was a "complete success."

She noted the staff had spotted "a small lump on the lioness's face" but it had been difficult to determine "how serious the condition was."

"The lioness will be a little uncomfortable to initially, but now that the infectious materials are removed from her system, she will start to feel much better over the coming days," added the curator.

The successful surgery marks a significant step in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.