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A Wildlife Rescue Center

A three-year-old female lion rescued from conflict-ridden Ukraine has undergone vital dental surgery to remove a badly decayed fang caused by an abscess.

Lira was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on 14 March after a campaign by director Cam Whitnall, who collected £500,000 to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Rescue Center

The surgery was performed on Friday by dentist an experienced animal dentist, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.

"Upon inspecting Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see immediately the broken tooth was highly inflamed," stated the dentist.

He thought the infection was due to a injury sustained more than a year ago, leading to bacteria creating toxins within the fang.

"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 hunt for food, removal was the most "logical and humane option."

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The rescue center 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 significant opening with seven dissolving sutures.

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

Briony Smith, curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary, declared the procedure was a "total triumph."

She noted the team had observed "a small lump on Lira's jawline" but it had been impossible to determine "the extent of the problem."

"The lioness will be somewhat sore to begin with, but now that the infectious materials are out of her body, she will start to feel much better over the coming days," added the curator.

This vital operation marks a major milestone in Lira's recovery after her rescue from Ukraine.