Hyderabad: Horned rhino gets eye surgery at Nehru Zoo

Hyderabad: The Veterinary doctors at Nehru Zoological Park conducted a major eye surgery to an 11-year-old male horned rhinoceros as the animal had been suffering from eye problems since the age of six.

According to the zoo authorities, the rhinoceros named Sai Vijay was under treatment for the growth of left eyeball and had been suffering with severe pain in the last six months.

The surgery was successfully conducted for Enucleation (removal of eye ball) of left eye by the team of Dr G Shambhulingam, Assistant Director (Vet), Dr MA 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.

For the operation there was need of etorphine drug as this is considered the most widely used Ultra Potent Opioid (UPO) in zoo and wildlife anesthesia and is the induction agent of choice for elephant, rhinoceros, non-domestic equids, and other hoof stock.

With the keen interest and efforts of M C Pargaien, chief wildlife warden, and VSNV Prasad, Conservator of Forests/Director, Zoo Parks, Hyderabad, Dr Sunil S Hiremath, Curator, Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad this was procured from Mysore Zoo on loan basis.

All the samples were collected and sent to VBRI, Shanti Nagar, Hyderabad for histo-pathological, hematology and serological for confirmative diagnosis. This is a major surgical intervention taken up in Hyderabad Zoo in coordination of different veterinary doctors.