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A Wildlife Rescue Center

A three-year-old lioness rescued from war-torn the war zone has undergone vital oral operation to remove a badly decayed canine tooth caused by an abscess.

Lira was brought to a wildlife sanctuary in Kent, England on 14 March after a fundraising effort by managing director Cam Whitnall, who collected half a million pounds to support her and several other lions from Ukraine.

The Rescue Center

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

"Upon inspecting the lioness's oral cavity, I could see immediately the broken tooth was severely infected," stated the dentist.

He believed the infection was due to a trauma experienced over twelve months back, leading to bacteria creating toxins inside the tooth.

"The approach I follow is non-human oral health issues should be addressed in the safest, the least invasive and safest way," he said.

The expert clarified that as Lira no longer required to hunt for food, extraction was the most "logical and humane option."

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The rescue center reported the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with the dentist having to remove a accumulated infection from under the fang and close the large wound with seven dissolving sutures.

He also performed a root canal treatment on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was also found to be infected.

Briony Smith, manager at the facility, declared the procedure was a "total triumph."

She noted the staff had observed "a minor swelling on the lioness's face" but it had been difficult to determine "the extent of the problem."

"The lioness 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 next few days," commented the curator.

This vital operation marks a significant step in the lioness's healing process after her arrival from the conflict area.