MANGALURU:
Government veterinary doctors in Udupi have given a new lease of life to a day-old calf that was born with two heads and three eyes.
Springing much surprise in the entire village,
Dr Vagesh Chavan, veterinary officer, Hemmadi and
Dr Jayanna, veterinary officer, Hunsemakki, Kundapura, separated the
abnormal head from the calf through a rare surgery. An elated
Vittal Shetty, owner of the calf, says he has never witnessed such an abnormal growth or such a
surgical procedure in his entire life.
The calf was born at the residence of Shetty in Kandavar village, Kundapur on October 3. Shetty, whose family is into agriculture and cattle rearing since generations, was unable to come to terms with its abnormal body structure. He immediately called up Dr Vagesh. Though the case did not come under his limits, Dr Vagesh decided to pursue the case. “I asked Shetty to send me some pictures of the calf on WhatsApp. Though it was a rare case, I thought it could be treated in a simple way. However, it turned out to be much more complicated than I thought,” Dr Vagesh told TOI. According to the doctor, the abnormal head was attached to the calf’s tongue because of which it could neither get lactated nor consume water or anything else. Also, the abnormal head, weighing 2.5kg, greatly hampered the movement of its body above neck.
Dr Vagesh sought help from the local veterinarian Dr Jayanna and together, they performed one-of-its surgery in the region.
“It is a case of
congenital anomalies (abnormal growth during embryonic development). In most such situations, the calf dies in a couple of days. This calf is responding well to the treatment,” Dr Vagesh said. Vittal Shetty said he had never seen or heard of such a rare case. He said the calf was recovering well. “Its wounds are getting healed. Currently, we feed it. We never thought it would survive. The surgery was a miraculous one,” he said.
