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A Wildlife Rescue Center

An adolescent female lion rescued from conflict-ridden Ukraine has received critical dental surgery to remove a badly decayed fang resulting from an abscess.

The lioness was brought to a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on 14 March following a campaign by managing director Cam Whitnall, who collected £500,000 to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Rescue Center

The procedure was carried out on last week by 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," said the dentist.

He thought the infection was due to a injury sustained over twelve months back, leading to germs producing harmful substances inside the tooth.

"The approach I follow is animal dental problems should be addressed in the most predictable, the most conservative and most secure manner," he said.

Mr Kertesz explained that as the lioness did not need to hunt for food, extraction was the most "sensible and ethical solution."

The Animal Rescue Facility

The rescue center reported the removed fang was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with Mr Kertesz having to remove a accumulated infection from beneath the tooth and close the large wound with multiple absorbable stitches.

He additionally conducted a dental procedure on the corresponding top fang, which was discovered to have a similar issue.

Briony Smith, manager at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said the procedure 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."

"Lira 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 next few days," commented Ms Smith.

The successful surgery represents a major milestone in the lioness's healing process after her rescue from Ukraine.