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A Wildlife Rescue Center

A three-year-old female lion rescued from conflict-ridden the war zone has undergone vital oral operation to extract a badly decayed canine tooth caused by an abscess.

The lioness was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England on March 14 following a campaign by managing director Cam Whitnall, who collected half a million pounds to fund her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Rescue Center

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

"Upon inspecting the lioness's oral cavity, I could see right away the damaged fang was highly inflamed," said the dentist.

He believed the dental issue was caused by a trauma experienced over twelve months back, leading to bacteria creating harmful substances inside the tooth.

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

Mr Kertesz clarified that as the lioness did not need to catch prey, extraction was the most "sensible and ethical solution."

The Animal Rescue Facility

The rescue center reported the removed fang was 3.14 inches in length, with the dentist having to remove a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and seal 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.

The curator, curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said the operation was a "total triumph."

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

"Lira will be a little uncomfortable to initially, but now that the infectious materials are out of her body, she will start to feel much better over the next few days," added the curator.

This vital operation marks a significant step in Lira's recovery after her arrival from the conflict area.