đź”— Share this article Saved from Ukraine Lioness Undergoes Essential Surgery The Big Cat Sanctuary A lioness named Lira receiving essential dental care to extract a badly infected tooth An adolescent female lion rescued from war-torn the war zone has received critical dental surgery to extract a badly decayed fang caused by an abscess. Lira was brought to a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 after a campaign by director the sanctuary's leader, who collected ÂŁ500,000 to support her and several other lions from Ukraine. The Rescue Center Two lions, Amani and Lira, were among the animals rescued from Ukraine and brought to the sanctuary 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 right away the broken tooth was severely infected," stated the dentist. He believed the dental issue was caused by a injury sustained more than a year ago, causing bacteria producing toxins inside the tooth. "The approach I follow is animal dental problems should be addressed in the safest, the least invasive and most secure manner," he said. Mr Kertesz clarified that as Lira no longer required to hunt for food, extraction was the most "sensible and ethical solution." The Big Cat Sanctuary Lira's extracted lower right canine tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long The rescue center said the removed fang was 3.14 inches in length, with Mr Kertesz having to remove a pocket of pus from under the fang and close the significant opening with multiple absorbable stitches. He additionally conducted a dental procedure on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was also found to be infected. The curator, curator at The Big Cat Sanctuary, declared the procedure was a "total triumph." She said the team had spotted "a small lump on Lira's jawline" but it had been impossible to assess "how serious the condition was." "The lioness will be somewhat sore to begin with, but now that the infectious materials are removed from her system, she will begin improving over the next few days," added the curator. This vital operation marks a major milestone in Lira's recovery after her arrival from the conflict area.