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Gharial's Snout Fixed With Dog Surgery Tech
13 Apr
Summary
- Surgeons used a minimally invasive technique typically for dogs.
- A metal plate was externally fixed onto the critically endangered gharial's fractured snout.
- The five-year-old gharial is recovering and being force-fed by staff.
Surgeons have successfully repaired the fractured upper snout of a critically endangered gharial using an innovative veterinary technique. The five-year-old gavialis gangeticus, housed at Chennai Snake Park Trust, sustained a significant injury in a fight. Specialists at Madras Veterinary College employed the supercutaneous plating (SCP) technique, a minimally invasive method typically used for bone fractures in dogs.
This adaptation involved externally securing a metal plate along the gharial's snout, a departure from internal plating due to the animal's unique anatomy. The procedure avoided extensive soft tissue dissection, preserving blood supply and promoting faster healing. The gharial is currently under post-surgical care, being force-fed as it recovers strength. The external plate is expected to be removed and replaced within a month.
