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A Wildlife Rescue Center

An adolescent lioness rescued from war-torn Ukraine has received vital oral operation to extract a severely infected canine tooth resulting from an infection.

Lira arrived at a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on 14 March following a campaign by managing director the sanctuary's leader, who raised half a million pounds to fund her and four other rescued lions.

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The surgery was performed on last week by veterinary dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has treated about 450 big cats.

"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see immediately the damaged fang was highly inflamed," stated the dentist.

He believed the infection was caused by a injury experienced more than a year ago, leading to bacteria producing toxins inside the tooth.

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

The expert clarified that as Lira no longer required to hunt for food, extraction was the most "logical and humane option."

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The sanctuary reported the extracted tooth was 3.14 inches in length, with the dentist having to extract a accumulated infection from beneath the tooth and close the large wound 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.

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

She noted the team 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 infectious materials are removed from her system, she will start to feel much better over the coming days," added the curator.

This vital operation represents a major milestone in the lioness's healing process after her rescue from Ukraine.