nagpur in a rare surgery a sevenyearold redeared slider commonly known as singapore turtle was operated to remove eggs which it was unable to do naturallythe redeared sliders are exotic popular and legal pets in the country according to the doctors this female terrapin had stopped eating food and got dull following which its owners sought veterinary carefollowing a thorough examination the doctors found that the turtle had four wellformed eggs which she was unable to deliver a condition medically termed as dystocia after trying conservative treatment for three weeks they decided to remove them surgically a single turtle can give 710 eggs in one clutch which can happen twotothree times in a single season if the eggs were not removed there was a possibility of follicles developing into eggs and putting lifethreatening pressure on other organs it could have proven fatal said veterinary surgeon dr ushma patelthe challenging surgery involved plastronotomy and ovariohysterectomy cutting of the shell and removing ovaries and the uterus after this the turtles shell was pasted back with bone wax and surgical glue a feeding tube was also place to nutritional support the female recovered completely in two weeks said dr patelapart from her the team of doctors who were a part of the operation included dr chetan patond dr ketki kirpekar and dr makarand dixit according to the doctors this as a firstofitskind surgery in the region treating exotic animals is a niche and upcoming in veterinary field in india a reptile poses many challenges to a vet while treating with their unique anatomy they are stoic strong and have a remarkable ability to come back from severe injuries with the right treatment and supportive care the doctors saidthey added that incorrect nutrition husbandry practices and lack of awareness contribute to majority of ailments in these pets