Nagpur: In a first step towards fitting prosthesis to Sahebrao, the male tiger at Gorewada Rescue Centre, city orthopaedic surgeon Dr Sushrut Babhulkar and a team of doctors from Maharashtra Animal and Fisheries Science University (MAFSU) initiated preliminary process by taking X-ray of the tiger’s limb and blood samples.
Prosthesis is an artificial device that replaces a missing body part, which may be lost through trauma, disease or congenital conditions. Prosthetics are intended to restore the normal functions of the missing body part.
TOI was first to report on February 3, 2018 that if an artificial limb is fitted to Sahebrao, this will be the first case of prosthesis in tigers in the world.
On Thursday, Dr Babhulkar and top MAFSU veterinarians Dr Shirish Upadhye, Dr Vinod Dhoot and Dr Gautam Bhojne examined the tiger in the presence of FDCM MD N Rambabu, MAFSU vice-chancellor Ashish Paturkar and divisional manager Nandkishore Kale.
“We took at least 12 X-rays from a portable machine and also extracted blood samples. After clinical examination it was found that there was non-union of bones due to fracture in three places. There is painful scar formation and its fifth toe finger is floppy, which comes in the normal way of the 200kg tiger,” said Dr Babhulkar.
Two-year-old Sahebrao and his sibling were caught in a steel trap laid by Baheliya poachers in Gondmohadi outside Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) on April 26, 2012. While Sahebrao’s sibling died, he was rescued and treated for amputed front left limb by MAFSU vets here. The tiger was later shifted to city’s Maharajbagh zoo on December 12, 2012 and on June 1, 2016 at Gorewada.
Sahebrao has been adopted for Rs2 lakh by Dr Babhulkar under scheme for animals by Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) launched last year.
Dr Babhulkar said, “We also took measurements for prosthesis. The next step will be gait analysis, which deals with animal locomotion. First, we will try to make Sahebrao’s walk pain-free. If this is achieved, the tiger will walk without groaning.”
Dr Upadhye, who was actively involved in saving the tiger, said the big cat was tranquillized by Dr Bhojne around 6.45am. “We took measurements of both the paws as a step towards prosthesis,” he said.
Dr Babhulkar plans to procure artificial limb from AO Foundation, Germany, which has expertise in fracture fixation of humans and animals too. Dr Babhulkar is the only Indian Council member of AO and hence will use his good office to talk to them to ensure that Sahebrao starts walking gracefully again.
The doctors took 12 X-rays and also extracted blood samples
