Mumbai: Puppy who was found mutilated gets ‘new snout’

MUMBAI: A four-month-old puppy who was found mutilated near the railway tracks at Sion Koliwada on June 30, underwent reconstructive surgery recently and is on the road to recovery.
Pari, who was rescued by those at the World For All Animal Care and Adoptions, could not breathe or eat on her own a few weeks ago as she was found with her snout cut off.The organisation raised funds for her surgery and reached out to veterinarians in the city to treat her at subsidised costs.
A team led by Juhu-based Dr Noopur Desai, with Dr Prajakta Charde and World For All’s in-house vet Dr Akshita Gulvady assisting, and a Dr Jinesh Shah as anaesthesiologist, was able to conduct a nosectomy on the pup — they cleared her nasal passage and made it possible for her to breathe on her own. “The main issue,” said Dr Desai, “was that her entire nose had been cut off. Her nasal passage was closing up and she couldn’t breathe.”
As her jaw had suffered a fracture and her snout had been cut off, she needed a mandibulectomy surgery as well. This involved stretching the remaining skin on her lower and upper lips, while ensuring her jaw can still function normally. Dr Desai said that as a cancer surgeon, she had performed lower or upper mandibulectomy before, but never both together. “There is a major risk of flap failure as we are suturing different parts of skin together. And the risk of infection is always there, especially with a stray,” she said. It was an at least four-hour long procedure.
The pup had intensive post-operation care, as she ran the risk of tearing her own stitches. She was taken in by World For All volunteer, who has been fostering her through it all. She visits Dr Desai regularly, for pain medication and check-ups.
“They don’t care how they look. Mutilation doesn’t mean their lives are over, we can help them. As long as they get to live a good life, it is worth it,” said Desai.