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CASE REPORT Successful Surgical Management in Rat ( mucosa )

AG Dubey 1* , NK Nighot 2 and AA Sanghai

1Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, Katraj, Pune, , 2 Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park and Wild Life Research Center, Katraj, Pune - 411046, India.

*Corresponding Author: Abstract A was rescued by local volunteer and presented at Wildlife AG Dubey Rehabilitation Centre, Katraz Pune embedded with drainage still mesh. Surgical intervention was performed under Ketamine Diazepam anesthesia. Email: [email protected] Surgical wound was sutured with everting pattern of suture. Snake showed Received: 15/12/2016 complete recovery without any complication and released back in to wild. Accepted: 29/12/2016 Keywords: Rat snake, Snake, Management. 1. Introduction with betadine for surgery. Anesthesia induction was Indian rat snake ( ) is a colubrid done with inj. dizapam @ 0.2 mg/kg bwt intramuscular found throughout South and , from sea as preanaesthetic and ketamine at 10 mg/kgbt as main level up to 4000 m (13,120 ft). It is one of the most anaesthetic agent and anesthesia was maintain by common found throughout the country ketamine @ 5 mg/kg bt. Muscle layer was sutured with (Whitaker and Captain, 2004). These are often found in catgut no 1 with simple interrupted suture. Then locally highly urbanized areas and settlements in the antibiotic of streptopenicillin was applied, further countryside, the attraction being the rodents everting suture patterns horizontal mattress sutures commensal with man. Because of this, they are were applied to skin. In order to produce analgesia and commonly involved in human- conflict. to prevent infection inj. meloxicam @ 0.1 mg/kg, inj. Numerous cases are presented frequently to wild-life ceftiofur @ 1.1 mg/kg were given for five days. veterinarians and wildlife rehabilitation centers Complete post operative was done for two weeks. throughout India, with the resultant injuries from such Surgical wounds healed progressively without any conflicts (Muliya, 2013). Present case study was based complications. The snakes in present study shed of th on successful removal of metal drain mesh fixed on the dead cells on surgical site skin on 25 day after these body of a rat snake through surgical intervention and sutures were removed (Fig 3 ). Animal showed signs of successful release of the snake in to wild. recovery, alert and active after which it was released successfully in wild. 2. History A rat snake was rescued by local volunteer and presented at Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Katraz, Pune. On clinical examination animal having embedded in still mesh ( Fig 1) to his upper one third body part and due to which dorsal primary layer, muscles were torn off.

3. Surgical Intervention and Treatment According to situation decision was made to go for surgical removal of mesh. Animal was prepared for surgery by administration of sedation with Ketamine. After sedation mesh was cut off with cutter. After removal of mesh it was observed that there was a 2 cm Fig 1: Snake embedded in still mesh long hole just bellows heart (Fig 2 ) from where heart can be seen, lack a diaphragm they rely on the 4. Result and Discussion thoracic musculature for ventilation (Mosley, 2005) In reptiles, administration of safe and effective decision was taken to close the site by suturing. anesthesia and analgesia presents unique challenges to Operation site was prepared aseptically by cleaning the veterinary practitioner. Most anesthetic protocols for reptiles are designed to include inhalational

Journal of Wildlife Research | October-December, 2016 | Vol 4 | Issue 4 | Pages 60-61 © 2016 Jakraya Publications (P) Ltd Dubey et al… Successful Surgical Management in Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa) anesthetic agents for induction and maintenance of anesthesia. But in the present study due to unavailability of inhalant anesthetics after a thorough discussion combination of anesthetics was used. Nasir et al. (2016) used diazepam @ 0.2 mg/kg body weight by intramuscular route as preanaesthetic and ketamine @ 10 mg/kg body weight by intramuscular route as a main anaesthetic agent. Sedation was maintained by ketamine @ 5 mg/kg body weight during surgical procedure of Lower Jaw in Indian Rock Python. Fig 3: Recovered wound after 25 th day

In the present case muscle was sutured with simple interrupted suture and skin with horizontal mattress. Holz (2007) suggested an everting pattern of suturing for skin, such as a horizontal mattress suture, as skin tends to invert when cut. Animal takes 25 to 30 days for complete recovery of wound. This was in accordance with Holz (2007), described healing of the wounds for four to six weeks after surgery, preferably after a shed.

Fig 2: Wound site 5. Conclusion The present study concluded that in case of unavailability of inhalant anesthesia, Diazepam and Ketamine combination can be used for anesthesia in surgical management of rat snake.

Reference Muliya SK (2013). Studies on normal heamatology, Holz P (2007). Snake anatomy and physiology with Biochemistry and medical management of injured reference to surgery and anesthesia. Proceeding of spectacled cobra (Naja naja) and Indian rat snake the NAVC North American Veterinary (Ptyas mucosa). Masters Dissertation Submitted Conference Jan. 13-27, 2007, Orlando, Florida, to KVAFSU, Bidar . 1542-1543. Whitaker R and Captain A (2004). Indian rat snake Ptyas mucosa . In: Snakes of India: The field guide. Draco Books, Chennai. p. 114.

Journal of Wildlife Research | October-December, 2016 | Vol 4 | Issue 4 | Pages 60-61 © 2016 Jakraya Publications (P) Ltd 61