Mumbai-based avian and wildlife veterinarian Dr Rina Dev and her team removed a five-gramme bladder stone from an African Spurred Tortoise in a complex surgical procedure lasting 90 minutes on September 25. Previously, they had extracted a 20-gramme stone from a star tortoise using a similar method.
As the tortoise was not eating anything and appeared dull, its owner decided to approach Dr Dev. After evaluating the reptile, the vet found that it had a huge bladder stone.

Dr Dev said, “An X-ray revealed a bladder stone measuring 1.2 inches in diameter. A complex surgery was carried out keeping in mind that the reptile weighed 81 grammes. This is the first surgery of its kind to be done in India on a tortoise this size. Tortoises are prone to bladder stone formation due to dietary influence and relatively less water intake.”