Lion under scalpel again

Doctors successfully operated upon a lion cub and removed a tumour from its front leg at the Dubai Zoo here yesterday.

The one-and-a-half-year-old lion cub Tina was suffering from "fibroma", a connective tissue tumour. It may occur anywhere in the body and is mostly found in skin, subcutis and the vaginal wall.

Tina suffered from a similar type of tumour five months ago and underwent an operation then. The previous operation was also successful, but the tumour grew back. Immediate surgery was required to protect Tina from further complications.

Dr Nazrul Islam Pathan, Veterinarian at Dubai Zoo, said: "Fibroma are composed of a broad bundle of mature fibroblast. Surgical removal is the treatment of choice, because we try to treat her as early as possible."

This type of tumour is not common in lions, but mostly seen in cats and dogs. "It is not a dangerous tumour, but if it becomes bigger, she will scratch it, which will lead to injuries. The cause of this tumour is unknown," he said.

During the hour-long surgery, the veterinarian removed the tumour and stitched the wound. "It was a flat tumour. I don't think that it will come again. Antibiotics and some pain killers will be given to her for treatment. She will recover within 10 to 15 days," he said.

Tina has a younger sister, just a few months old. This is not the first time such surgery has been performed in the zoo. Every year, the zoo performs a minimum of 50 to 60 operations.