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A Wildlife Rescue Center

A three-year-old lioness saved from conflict-ridden the war zone has undergone critical oral operation to remove a badly decayed fang resulting from an abscess.

The lioness arrived at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England on March 14 following a campaign by managing director Cam Whitnall, who raised £500,000 to support her and four other rescued lions.

The Rescue Center

The surgery was carried out on last week by dentist Peter Kertesz, who has treated about 450 big cats.

"When I examined Lira's jaw and mouth, I could see right away the broken tooth was highly inflamed," said Mr Kertesz.

He thought the dental issue was caused by a injury sustained more than a year ago, causing germs producing harmful substances within the fang.

"The approach I follow is animal oral health issues need to be treated in the most predictable, the most conservative and most secure manner," he said.

The expert clarified that as the lioness no longer required to catch prey, extraction was the most "logical and humane option."

The Animal Rescue Facility

The rescue center said the extracted tooth was 3.14 inches in length, with the dentist having to remove a pocket of pus from under the fang and seal the large wound with multiple absorbable stitches.

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

The curator, curator at the facility, declared the procedure was a "complete success."

She noted the team had observed "a small lump on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to determine "the extent of the problem."

"The lioness will be a little uncomfortable to initially, but now that the toxins 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 major milestone in Lira's recovery after her arrival from the conflict area.