By S.T. Ravikumar

Mysore/Mysuru: A Multi-speciality Hospital for animals has come up on Dhanvanthri Road in city. It will be a 24×7 hospital — polyclinic — for all kinds of sick animals including cattle heads, goats, sheep, horses, dogs, monkeys, owls and other birds. 

The earlier Veterinary Hospital has been upgraded to a Multi-speciality Hospital at an estimated cost of Rs. 2.5 crore and machines and equipment worth Rs. 70 lakh is awaited for the full-fledged functioning of the Hospital. The Karnataka Housing Board was the construction agency. 

Facilities including surgeries, medicines, gynaecology and cardiac care, ortho and related care are available, Dr. S.C. Suresh, Assistant Director of Animal Husbandry Department, Mysuru, told Star of Mysore. He is also the in-charge Deputy Director of the polyclinic. 

The hospital has an in-patient department and an outpatient department and an advanced X-ray and a scanning machine will be provided. Speciality doctors and veterinary PG students will treat the animals for any ailment of kidney, liver, heart, ortho and blood pressure. 

The Hospital has facilities for neutering animals and also artificial insemination. Surgery facilities to remove the uterus are also available. Earlier, the Veterinary Hospital would be open from 9 am to 5 pm with a two-hour break between 1 pm and 3 pm. This polyclinic will be open 24×7, said Dr. Suresh. It will have one surgeon, 1 Inspector, 2 attendants, and one Deputy Director. There will be PG students and lab technicians to assist the doctor. 

Semen storage unit

The Hospital will be equipped with advanced machines in a month or so and will be the biggest animal hospital in Mysuru. Similar hospitals have been set up in Mangaluru, Bengaluru and Belagavi. The Hospital has a semen production and storage unit too. A special container to store 6,000 litres of liquid nitrogen has been installed at the Hospital to cater to the needs of District Hospitals. This container stores liquid containers in minus 192 Degrees Centigrade to preserve semen that can be used in artificial insemination,  Dr. Suresh said. 

“Earlier, we used to purchase liquid nitrogen by paying Rs. 15 per litre. Now we have our own plant to produce and store the vital component in artificial insemination. We can now store the liquid and also use it in the semen bank and at the same time supply it to District Hospitals,” he added.