Thorn surgically removed from cobra at OUAT

Keonjhar: Five veterinarians led by Bishwadeep Jena, assistant professor, surgery and radiology, OUAT Veterinary College, Bhubaneswar, removed a fish-catching thorn lodged in the neck of a monocled cobra on Wednesday.

The 4-ft-long venomous snake was rescued from a pond in Ujuni village on Tuesday. Pond owner Bhikari Charan Majhi spotted the snake, which had been pierced by a thorn from a locally used ‘bansi stick’. Majhi’s family contacted the snake helpline. Volunteer Sanjay Kumar Panda removed the plastic thread attached to the thorn, though the exact position of the embedded object remained unclear.

With no local X-ray facilities available, snake helpline general secretary Subhendu Mallick co-ordinated with Prashant Kumar Panda, DFO of Anandpur wildlife division, to shift the snake to OUAT Veterinary College. An X-ray revealed a 3cm thorn lodged dangerously close to its fang.

“The operation was extremely challenging. We inserted a syringe into the upper mouth of the unconscious snake and secured it with micropore tape, allowing the surgical and rescue teams to work safely. I’m hopeful the snake will be released back into its natural habitat once fully healed,” said Jena. The snake was administered antibiotics and painkillers and will remain under observation until the wound dries and stitches are removed.