It was not the first lion on the operating table at Onderstepoort, but it was certainly the first one with arthritis.
Recently Limpy, who got her name because that is exactly how she walked - with a limp - intrigued a group of vets who were called in to operate on her at the University of Pretoria's veterinary facility at Onderstepoort.
One of those involved in the operation, Dr Brighton Djikiti, told the Sunday Tribune the facility had occasionally operated on lions and lionesses.
"But this was certainly the most interesting thing I have seen on a lion," said Djikiti, who along with Drs Japie Venter, Louis Coetzee and Freddie Malan performed the operation.
It began when staff at the big cat sanctuary, Lionsrock, in the Free State, noticed that Limpy was not moving with a lion's normal feline grace.
Fiona Miles of Four Paws - the organisation that took over Lionsrock from its previous owners - said they had inherited a pride of 14 lions at the time of the takeover. Limpy was one of them.
As her limp became steadily more pronounced, Miles said they sent her to the in-house animal hospital for an x-ray.
Because there was no sign of a fracture, it was decided to treat her for inflammation, but after two weeks she was walking with even more difficulty.
"As Limpy weighs in at 120kg, and lions carry two thirds of their weight on their front legs, we became really concerned," she said.
A second examination revealed that the lioness required an operation, and it was decided she deserved the best team and she was sent to Onderstepoort.
Prior to the operation a special bone clamp was manufactured in Cape Town and rushed to Onderstepoort before the almost three-hour operation on October 15.
"We were told arthritis is highly unusual in animals of such a young age, and is likely to be a result of her rearing," said Miles, explaining that Limpy had been hand-raised.
Four Paws condemns the practice in which cubs are separated from their mother after a few days, she said.
"The nourishment provided by humans cannot match the quality of that provided by the mother," said Miles. "This leads to malnutrition which can cause other, serious problems in later years.
"In Limpy's case, the combination of the human rearing and, possibly, a genetic disposition, has led to arthritis."
The doctors told them that a further operation might be necessary next year. In addition, the arthritic lion will always need to take special medication.
While recovering, Limpy is being kept in an isolated enclosure to ensure her safety. "But visits from her family (peering through the fence) have shown that she is still a part of the group. Once she is fully healthy, she will be reunited with the pride, under careful observation from the team at Lionsrock," said Miles.
Websites: www.lionsrock.org and www.four-paws.org