TV
In a rare and delicate operation, veterinary surgeons at the government veterinary hospital in Berhampur successfully removed nearly 50 kg of polythene waste from the stomach of a stray cow after an extensive four-hour surgery on Monday.
The animal, found writhing in pain on Hilpatna main road three days earlier, was shifted to the hospital by local volunteers when on-spot treatment failed to provide relief.
Extensive Surgery To Remove Clogged Plastic
Reports stated that a team led by Dr Satya Narayan Kar conducted the high-risk operation after an initial examination confirmed that the cow’s stomach and intestines were blocked by plastic waste.
Hospital staff, including veterinary assistants Harichandra Nayak and Ram Chandra Sahu, supported the procedure, which required careful extraction of polythene tightly packed inside the digestive tract.
Sources reported that following the surgery, the cow’s condition is now stable, and doctors confirmed it is on the path to recovery.
Emergency Response After Distress Call
According to officials, residents had first noticed the cow collapsing in the rainwater and struggling to breathe. They immediately alerted the state-run animal helpline (1962), following which an animal ambulance transported the cow to the hospital.
Despite preliminary surgery attempts to ease abdominal pain, the condition did not improve, prompting the decision for a major operation. Doctors said the sheer volume of plastic removed was unprecedented, and plastic had blocked its digestive tract completely while also pressurising its internal organs.
As of the last reports, the animal will now remain under observation at the Berhampur government veterinary hospital for a week.
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Notably, this was not the first such case at the Berhampur hospital. In 2023, veterinary surgeons removed nearly 30 kg of plastic waste from another stray cow, which was linked to its feeding on discarded food mixed with polythene bags, which remain undigested and lead to life-threatening complications.
