For the first time in Kerala, a Red Sand Boa, a non-venomous snake, has received treatment for a mast cell tumor at the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo. The snake, brought in by the forest department from Pacha in the Palode area, was treated by Dr. K. R. Nikesh Kiran and a team from the Kudappanakunnu Multi-specialty Veterinary Hospital.
Thiruvananthapuram: In a first for Kerala, a snake has undergone treatment for a mast cell tumor. The Red Sand Boa, a non-venomous snake transported by the forest department from Pacha in the Palode area to the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo, had a tumor in its mouth. The treatment was conducted by Dr. K. R. Nikesh Kiran, the zoo veterinarian, along with a team from the Kudappanakunnu Multi-specialty Veterinary Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.
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The Red Sand Boa, found in a weakened state by the forest department, was diagnosed with a rare tumor. The snake, which had stopped eating, was brought to the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo for treatment in the first week of October. While attempting to tube-feed the boa, a growth was noticed in its mouth. A sample was immediately collected and tested, revealing it to be a tumor. The sample was collected using Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology.
The four-year-old male Red Sand Boa was diagnosed with Mast Cell Tumor, a type of cancer. The zoo consulted with a cancer research center in Mumbai for treatment guidance. Initial feedback suggested that animals with this type of tumor rarely respond well to treatment.
Undeterred, the zoo's health experts began treatment on October 14th, administering Cyclophosphamide, a chemotherapy drug. Dr. Nikesh Kiran, the zoo's veterinary surgeon, explained to Asianet News Online that this was based on a new protocol.
Within three weeks, the Red Sand Boa began responding positively to the treatment, with the tumor significantly shrinking. A CT scan confirmed a substantial reduction in the cancer's spread. Dr. Kiran noted that animals can develop various types of cancer. The treatment in Thiruvananthapuram was guided by Dr. Nupur Desai, a cancer specialist at Cancer Vet, a Mumbai-based hospital specializing in animal cancer treatment.
Dr. Kiran believes this case will contribute to developing a new protocol for Mast Cell Tumors. He added that if the Red Sand Boa starts eating on its own, it will become a permanent resident of the zoo. Currently, the snake has started moving but is still being tube-fed. Full recovery will be confirmed once the boa resumes eating independently.