THANE: Two softshell turtles found last week with fishing hooks in their throats got a new lease of life as the sharp, rusty hooks were removed after a 40-minute surgery for each turtle at a veterinary clinic in Ghatkopar on Sunday .While one turtle had to undergo surgery as the sharp hook was lodged deep inside its oesophagus, the hook in the other was removed with a guided endoscopic procedure by Dr Dinesh Vinherkar Last week, fishermen at the Gorai jetty had found four turtles trapped in their nets. The turtles were handed over to wildlife warden Sunish Subramanian who admitted them to Thane SPCA. X-rays showed that two of the turtles had fishing hooks, about 2 cm to 3 cm long, lodged deep in their throats. The two turtles were taken to Dr Vaibhav Pawar 's clinic for an operation on Sunday where Dr Vinherkar performed the surgery .While the hook in one turtle was removed through guided endoscopy , the other, which is pregnant, was operated through a small incision in the throat.Dr Vinherkar added that the rusty metal hooks have left ulcers in the turtles' throats. "We are giving them antibiotics for the wounds to heal," he said.He said that if the turtles do not start feeding properly in two to three days, they will be fed using tubes with which the food will be put directly in their stomachs. "Both turtles will be monitored regularly , and will be released when they recover completely," said Dr Vinherkar after which the turtles will be handed over to officials of the forest department.

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