AHMEDABAD: In what is considered to be the first veterinary prosthetic limb implantation in the state, an amputee buffalo has been fitted with a artificial limb, enabling the animal to walk again.
The design and development of the artificial limb using light weight polymer material and having artificial joints has been made by prosthetist Miss Chandani Korat at her own prosthetic center named GetBak in Ahmedabad.
The buffalo had lost its limb due to an injury eight months ago. This buffalo was at animal center near Sabarmati Police Station in Ahmedabad
“The owner was very much attached to the buffalo and wanted to see it walk again. It made us think of a artificial limb . The field of veterinary prosthetics is not much developed in the state and the major challenge was to design a biomechanically stable limb, which the animal can flex and carry without affecting locomotion,” Owner said.
First, a negative mould was developed and then a positive mould was created using plaster of paris. Weight distribution cups and socket were fixed inside the prosthetic limb, she said. The limb made using light-weight polymer.
“It took around four days to develop the prosthetic limb at our Ahmedabad center .It is the first successful veterinary prosthetic limb implantation in Gujarat,” Dr Chandani added.
The artificial limb was manufactured in a prosthetic limb manufacturing facility for humans near the Navrang high school. This limbs was donated for free of cost to the animal center.
“It was painful to see the buffalo struggling to walk in three legs after the amputation. I couldn’t even think of selling it as it could then end up in a slaughterhouse. Now, buffalo is learning to walk with the implanted limb,” owner added.
