Rhinoceros treated for eyeball enlargement at zoo park

A rhinoceros at the Nehru Zoological Park was on Monday treated for eyeball enlargement.
The male rhinoceros was identified as Sai Vijay (11) which experienced pain in the eye since June 2023. 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  MC Pargaien, Chief Wildlife Warden, Hyderabad, and VSNV Prasad, Conservator of Forests/Director, Zoo Parks, Hyderabad, Dr Sunil S Hiremath, Curator, Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad, it was procured from Mysore Zoo on loan basis.
The surgery was successfully conducted for Enucleation (removal of eyeball) of the 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.
All the samples were collected and sent to VBRI, Shantinagar, Hyderabad for Histo-Pathological, Haematology and Serological for confirmative diagnosis. This is a major surgical intervention taken up in Hyderabad Zoo in coordination with different veterinary doctors.