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A Wildlife Rescue Center

A three-year-old female lion saved from conflict-ridden Ukraine has received vital oral operation to remove a badly decayed canine tooth caused by an abscess.

The lioness arrived at a wildlife sanctuary in Smarden, Kent on March 14 following a campaign by director Cam Whitnall, who raised £500,000 to support her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The surgery was performed on last week by veterinary 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 broken tooth was highly inflamed," stated Mr Kertesz.

He thought the infection was due to a trauma experienced over twelve months back, causing germs creating harmful substances inside the tooth.

"My philosophy is non-human oral health issues need to be treated in the most predictable, the most conservative and safest way," he explained.

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

The Animal Rescue Facility

The rescue center said the removed fang was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with the dentist having to extract a accumulated infection from under the fang and seal the large wound with multiple absorbable stitches.

He also performed a dental procedure on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was also found to be infected.

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

She noted the team had observed "a small lump on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to assess "how serious the condition was."

"Lira will be a little uncomfortable to begin with, but now that the toxins are out of her body, she will start to feel much better over the coming days," added Ms Smith.

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