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A Wildlife Rescue Center

A three-year-old female lion rescued from war-torn the war zone has undergone critical dental surgery to extract a badly decayed canine tooth caused by an abscess.

The lioness was brought to a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 following a fundraising effort by director the sanctuary's leader, who raised £500,000 to fund her and four other rescued lions.

The Rescue Center

The procedure was performed on Friday by veterinary dentist Peter Kertesz, who has treated about 450 big cats.

"Upon inspecting Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see immediately the broken tooth was severely infected," said the dentist.

He thought the infection was due to a trauma sustained over twelve months back, causing bacteria producing toxins inside the tooth.

"The approach I follow is animal dental problems need to be treated in the most predictable, the least invasive and safest way," he said.

Mr Kertesz clarified that as Lira did not need to hunt for food, extraction was the most "logical and humane option."

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The rescue center said the removed fang was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with the dentist having to extract a pocket of pus from under the fang and close the significant opening with seven dissolving sutures.

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

The curator, curator at the facility, declared the operation was a "total triumph."

She noted the team had spotted "a minor swelling on Lira's jawline" but it had been difficult to assess "how serious the condition was."

"The lioness will be a little uncomfortable to initially, but now that the infectious materials are out of her body, she will begin improving over the coming days," added Ms Smith.

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