Shenbagathoppu Don, a race bull, got a fresh lease of life on Pongal, after doctors at the Vellore Government Veterinary Polyclinic performed a series of surgeries -- including putting in steel plates for fractured ribs -- that lasted for seven hours.
The bull, worth ₹50 lakh, who had run many races in the past, is owned by Annamalai from Kavalur near Alangayam. It was bought for the Eruthuvidum Vizha (bull race) in Anaicut on Thursday.
“The owner’s intention was to familiarise the bull with the street before the competition. When it was running at a good speed, a vehicle came from the opposite direction and hit the animal,” said Ravi Shankar, veterinary assistant surgeon, who performed the surgery.
Don was brought to Vellore Government Veterinary Polyclinic, and Dr. Ravi Shankar and his colleague Aresh examined it and found two rib bones fractured, and a torn abdomen. “It was bleeding profusely. After giving first aid, we decided to do an emergency orthopaedic and abdominal surgery together to save the animal,” he said.
The surgery started at 11 a.m and went on till 6 in the evening. “We placed plates and screws for fractured thoracic ribs and sutured the abdominal muscles and rumen. The bull is now fine,” said Dr. Ravi Shankar.
He said that torn abdomen cases were common in the hospital. "They happen when one bull attacks another. But this is the first time we are fixing steel plates and screws in the place of ribs for a bull. Usually in such cases the owners send the bulls to slaughter houses but Mr. Annamalai was fond of it and brought it for treatment,” he said.
