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A Wildlife Rescue Center

An adolescent lioness rescued from conflict-ridden the war zone has undergone vital oral operation to remove a badly decayed fang caused by an infection.

The lioness was brought to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England on 14 March following a campaign by director Cam Whitnall, who raised half a million pounds to support her and four other rescued lions.

The Rescue Center

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

"Upon inspecting the lioness's oral cavity, I could see right away the broken tooth was severely infected," stated Mr Kertesz.

He thought the dental issue was due to a injury experienced more than a year ago, causing bacteria producing harmful substances inside the tooth.

"The approach I follow is non-human dental problems need to be treated in the safest, the most conservative and most secure manner," he said.

The expert explained that as the lioness no longer required to catch prey, removal was the most "sensible and ethical solution."

The Animal Rescue Facility

The sanctuary reported the extracted tooth was 8cm (3.14 inches) long, with the dentist having to remove a pocket of pus from under the fang and close the large wound with seven dissolving sutures.

He additionally conducted a root canal treatment on the opposing upper canine tooth, which was discovered to have a similar issue.

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

She said the staff had spotted "a small lump on the lioness's face" but it had been impossible to determine "how serious the condition was."

"Lira will be a little uncomfortable to begin with, but now that the infectious materials are out of her body, she will begin improving over the next few days," added Ms Smith.

The successful surgery represents a significant step in the lioness's healing process after her arrival from the conflict area.