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A Wildlife Rescue Center

A three-year-old female lion saved from conflict-ridden the war zone has received critical oral operation to remove a severely infected canine tooth caused by an abscess.

Lira arrived at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England on March 14 after a fundraising effort by director the sanctuary's leader, who collected half a million pounds to support her and four other rescued lions.

The Big Cat Sanctuary

The surgery was carried out on last week by veterinary dentist Peter Kertesz, who has cared for hundreds of large felines.

"When I examined the lioness's oral cavity, I could see immediately the broken tooth was severely infected," stated Mr Kertesz.

He believed the infection was caused by a injury experienced over twelve months back, leading to germs creating harmful substances within the fang.

"The approach I follow is animal oral health issues should be addressed in the most predictable, the least invasive and most secure manner," he said.

Mr Kertesz explained that as Lira no longer required to catch prey, extraction was the most "sensible and ethical solution."

The Animal Rescue Facility

The rescue center said the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with the dentist having to extract a pocket of pus from beneath the tooth and seal the significant opening with multiple absorbable stitches.

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

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

She noted the staff had spotted "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 begin with, but now that the toxins are removed from her system, she will begin improving over the next few days," added the curator.

This vital operation marks a significant step in the lioness's healing process after her rescue from Ukraine.