Happy pets, happy vets
However, the care is not limited to dogs. As many as 30,000 to 32,000 animals, including canines, get treated at the hospital annually. Many of them report cases of tick fever, dehydration, hairfall, skin problems and parvovirus enteritis, besides other infectious and non-infectious conditions.
Talking to this newspaper, Dr Jitender Mohindroo, Director of Clinics, said that around 80 dogs are treated at the facility for various disorders and fractured or dislocated bones every day. 'It is common for canines to sustain injuries in road mishaps or get hurt after falling from a great height,' he says.
But it's not like misfortune only chases behind dogs. Dr Mohindroo has observed a new trend emerge in the post-Covid years. 'An average of four exotic cats are brought here for treatment daily, he says, noting that many of the felines land up here after being attacked by dogs.
Dr Gurpreet Singh Preet of the Medicine Department says, 'Around 70 to 80 dogs are brought to the medicine OPD daily.' He adds, 'In summers, dogs tend to suffer from skin and tick-borne diseases as well as kidney and liver infections. In winters, they mostly contract viral diseases.''
Dwelling on the care diseased and wounded animals receive here, Dr Arun Anand, HoD of Veterinary Surgery, shared, 'We performed a rare heart surgery on a two-year-old beagle a couple of weeks back as the dog was suffering from patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) — a heart condition in which a blood vessel fails to close shortly after birth.
The dog was examined in the medicine department, where it underwent routine as well as advanced tests, such as echocardiography.' He added, 'It was a one-hour-long surgery, after which it was kept under observation for four days at the critical care unit.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Centre appoints Dr Abhijat Sheth as new chairperson of National Medical Commission amid allegations of bribery against the body
The Centre recently appointed Dr Abhijat Sheth as the chairperson of the National Medical Commission (NMC) — the apex medical education regulatory body in the country. Currently, Dr Sheth heads the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) that conducts the entrance examinations for the post-graduate and super-specialisation medical courses. Dr Sheth is yet to take over as the chairperson of NMC from Dr B N Gangadhar, who had resigned from his post in October, but continued to work in the position as his resignation was not accepted due to the unavailability of suitable candidates. According to sources, the health ministry had earlier sent at least a couple of shortlists of candidates to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, but nobody could be appointed then. Dr Sheth will continue to serve as the head of NBEMS for a few months, considering that the NEET-PG is supposed to take place in August. He will leave the body eventually, the sources added. The Indian Express had reported earlier in July that for nearly nine months, key posts on all four autonomous boards of the NMC had remained vacant, including the posts of three of the four presidents. In fact, the report stated that the chairperson and the only remaining president had also submitted their resignations, but they had not been accepted. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently registered a First Information Report (FIR) in connection with an alleged corruption scandal that manipulated the regulatory framework governing medical colleges. This included unauthorised sharing of classified information, such as upcoming inspections, allowing colleges to make fraudulent arrangements like getting ghost faculty and admitting fictitious patients, and widespread bribery to secure favourable treatment for private institutions. The FIR, however, does not name the NMC chairperson. Among the 34 persons named in the FIR are former University Grants Commission chairman Dr D P Singh, officials from the health ministry and NMC, members of teams that inspect medical colleges, and representatives of various medical colleges. Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government's management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country's space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University's Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor's Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
Facial, speech problems among after-effects of mucormycosis post recovery: ICMR study
People who suffered from mucormycosis and recovered continue to battle long-term health effects of the fungal infection, such as facial disfigurement and speech difficulty, found an ICMR study. There was an uptick in cases of mucormycosis, a rare infection also known as 'Black Fungus', during the COVID-19 pandemic. Published last month in Clinical Microbiology and Infection, a leading microbiology journal, the study found that 14.7 per cent of 686 hospitalised mucormycosis patients died within a year, with most deaths occurring during initial hospitalisation. Critical predictors of poor survival included involvement of the brain or eyes, intensive care admission, poor glycaemic control, and comorbid conditions. Conversely, patients who received both surgical treatment and combination antifungal therapy (particularly Amphotericin-B formulations with Posaconazole) had significantly higher survival rates, said Dr Rizwan Suliankatchi Abdulkader, from ICMR's National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), the lead author of the study. "But survivors often faced disfigurement and psychological distress, with more than 70 per cent reporting at least one clinical sequela (complication or disability) and a substantial proportion experiencing loss of employment," Rizwan said. 'These are not abstract complications. Facial disfigurement, impaired speech, anxiety, and loss of livelihood are lived realities for many survivors. It is time for India to move beyond life-saving interventions and focus on life-restoring systems of care, including mental health support and rehabilitation,' he said. Led by Rizwan and the All-India Mucormycosis Consortium, the study assessed survival, treatment outcomes, and post-recovery quality of life among hospitalised patients in India. This large-scale study, covering 686 patients from 26 tertiary hospitals across the country, is the first of its kind to offer long-term, prospective data on this critical public health concern. As a part of the study, 686 patients who had contracted mucormycosis between March and July 2021 were followed up for one year. Of the 686, 80 per cent (549) also had COVID-19. The prevalence of mucormycosis varies significantly, from 0.01 to 2 cases per million in developed countries to 140 cases per million in India and similar nations, with incidence approximately 80 times higher in India. Despite advances in medical care, mucormycosis remains a highly lethal and debilitating condition. 'This study reinforces the pressing need to ensure access to timely diagnosis, surgical interventions, and combination antifungal therapy in all parts of India," said Dr Manoj Murhekar, Director of Chennai-based ICMR-NIE. "We cannot overstate how essential high-quality, multidisciplinary care is for patients battling mucormycosis, especially given the irreversible complications they face if treatment is delayed," said Murhekar, a senior author of the study. Spanning the length and breadth of India, the study involved institutions from nearly every region, capturing a diverse and realistic picture of mucormycosis management in both urban and rural populations. Rizwan stressed, 'This is not just a story of numbers. Behind every data point is a person who struggled with pain, disfigurement, and long-term disability. Our duty as clinicians and public health professionals is to reduce not just mortality but also the suffering that comes with survival. "India has a disproportionately high burden of this disease. Our health systems must be better prepared.' The research comes at a time when India is still grappling with the long-term fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which mucormycosis surged dramatically. As the global community turns its attention to pandemic preparedness and health system resilience, the study serves as a sobering reminder of the challenges posed by neglected fungal diseases. 'We hope our findings will serve as a call to action for policymakers, hospital administrators, and clinicians. Mucormycosis is not just a complication of COVID-19. It is a disease that demands long-term clinical attention, public health surveillance, and above all, compassion in care," Rizwan said.
Mint
4 hours ago
- Mint
Govt plans to to open new quarantine centres at four international entry points
New Delhi: The government plans to set up quarantine centres at three international border points—Amritsar, Guwahati and Petrapole—alongside Bhubaneswar in order to check the cross-border movement of potential carriers of infectious diseases. These designated centres are supported under the government's Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM). PM-ABHIMis considered the largest pan-India scheme for strengthening the healthcare infrastructure with an outlay of ₹ 64,180 crore. One of the key components of PM-ABHIM is to operationalize new public health units and strengthen existing ones at points of entry like airports, seaports, and land crossings. The quarantine centres are designed to separate and restrict the movement of individuals who have been exposed to an infectious disease, like Covid-19, but are not yet showing symptoms. These centres aim to prevent the transmission of the disease to others in the country. Previously, these centres were earmarked for Kannur (Kerala), Bhogapuram (Andhra Pradesh), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), and Kolkata (West Bengal).According to documents reviewed by Mint, this plan comes as the Ministry of Civil Aviation will now build quarantine centres from its budget at Kannur and Bhogapuram airports. The centres at Chennai and Kolkata airports will be built by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) as part of its airport expansion plans. This means the money previously planned for these four locations won't be needed, freeing up those funds. 'The new locations are important points of entry and connectivity: Amritsar serves as a major land route to Pakistan and a cultural hub; Guwahati is the gateway to the Northeast with extensive regional connections; Bhubaneshwar is a significant air entry point in eastern India; and Petrapole is India's largest land port facilitating substantial cross-border movement with Bangladesh,' an official familiar with the matter said. This strategic decision was discussed and ratified in the Mission Steering Group meeting of the National Health Mission held recently. 'This proactive approach ensures efficient use of resources and better preparedness for public health emergencies at critical points of entry across the nation,' the official said while emphasizing that these help in containing disease transmission, monitoring and early detection, managing high risk individuals, reducing burden on hospitals, emergency preparedness and providing specialized care and support. 'Even a single case of a novel virus, if unchecked at entry, could spark widespread community transmission and overwhelm local hospitals. Quarantine centres serve as a barrier, potentially preventing such outbreaks before they could even start,' Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, public health expert and Past President, Indian Medical Association (IMA), Cochin. Queries sent to the health ministry spokesperson remained unanswered.
