One-horned rhino undergoes major surgery at Hyderabad zoo

The 11-year-old one-horned male Rhino was under treatment for a growth in the left eyeball and had been suffering with severe pain since last six months

Hyderabad: Government veterinarians successfully conducted a major surgical intervention by taking-up an eye surgery on 11-year-old one-horned male Rhinoceros Sai Vijay, who was suffering from eye problem since the age of 6, at Hyderabad zoo on Monday.

The animal was under treatment for a growth in the left eyeball and had been suffering with severe pain since last six months. For the operation there was need of Etorphine drug, which is a widely regarded Ultra Potent Opioid (UPO) for zoo and wildlife anaesthesia. The drug is also the induction agent of choice for elephant, rhinoceros, nondomestic equids, and other hoof stock.

Thanks to the initiative of M.C. Pargaien, Chief Wildlife Warden, VSNV Prasad, Conservator of Forests/Director, Zoo Parks, Hyderabad, Dr. Sunil S. Hiremath, Curator, Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad, the rhinoceros was procured from Mysore Zoo on loan basis.

The Surgery was successfully conducted for Enucleation i.e. removal of eye ball of left eye by team of veterinarians including Dr. G. Shambhulingam, Assistant Director (Vet), Dr. M.A. Hakeem, Deputy Director (Vet) Dr. Ch. Praveen Kumar, veterinary Assistant Surgeon along with Dr. J. Radhakrishna Rao, Associate Professor of Surgery and Dr. M. Navin Kumar, Deputy Director (Retd.) with assistance of Zoo veterinary staff and animal keepers and in the presence of Director, Curator and Deputy Curator, Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad.

All the samples were collected and sent to VBRI, Shantinagar, Hyderabad for histo-pathological, Haematology and Serological for confirmative diagnosis.