31 January,2026 07:13 AM IST | Mumbai | Debjani Paul
Gumbo plays outdoors with his foster mother, Richa Singh Choudhuri, and her son Ivaan. Pics/Shadab Khan
Gumbo gambols through the woods of Thane West, his tongue lolling goofily as he spots friendly strangers and demands pets. It is only on closer inspection that one realises the 10-year-old Labrador retriever is missing his lower jaw - the lone battle scar from a life-threatening tumour he defeated just weeks ago after a groundbreaking surgery.
Gumbo is now the first documented canine case in the world to have successfully undergone a bilateral mandibulectomy, or the complete removal of the lower jaw.
"The way Gumbo has recovered is nothing short of a miracle," says Dr Vikam Dave, who performed the surgery at his Borivali-based veterinary hospital, Blue 7 Vets.
The operation was considered radical for several reasons. Globally, similar canine cases have involved only partial removal of the jaw, either from one side or the front. While total mandible removal has been attempted a few times, there are no recorded cases of long-term survival.
"Not only is it a complex surgery, but success depends largely on how well the dog adapts to life without a lower jaw," Dr Dave explains. "The tongue has nothing to support it, which can lead to dehydration and fatigue. More importantly, the dog must relearn how to eat and drink with an entirely revised anatomy."
Gumbo's determination, however, was forged through a decade of neglect and misfortune, says Richa Singh Choudhuri, founder of Bowsome Senior Dogs India Foundation (BSDIF), which rescued him in Bengaluru.
For 10 years, Gumbo lived chained and isolated in a Bengaluru building. When he fell ill, his owner abandoned him. His diagnosis - peripheral odontogenic fibroma with osseous metaplasia - was a cruel twist of fate. Though benign, the tumour grew so aggressively that it became life-threatening.
He underwent surgery in Bengaluru in October 2025, but when clean margins could not be achieved, the tumour returned rapidly.
On December 24, 2025, Choudhuri decided to foster Gumbo and brought him to Thane in a final attempt to save him.
"The tumour was taking over his mouth and jaw. His teeth would simply pop out into the air," she recalls. "It became clear he had only days to live."
With certain death as the alternative, Choudhuri convinced Dr Vikam Dave and canine oncologist Dr Ashlesha Dave to attempt complete jaw removal.
"We knew there was barely a 10 per cent chance of success," she says. "But we decided to take that chance."
Medical costs were estimated at around Rs 3.5 lakh. Up to 80 per cent of the amount was raised from BSDIF followers on Instagram within hours, with the remaining expenses covered by Choudhuri's husband.
A CT scan confirmed that the tumour had not spread beyond the lower jaw. On December 29, surgeons removed Gumbo's mandible along with affected lymph nodes. For the first two weeks, he was fed through a tube.
Dr Milind Hatekar, a veteran veterinary surgeon from Pune with 35 years of experience, confirms that this is the first recorded case of a successful complete removal of the lower jaw in the world. "It's a massive surgery; not many surgeons would opt to do it. Not only do you need specialised skills, but most pet owners would opt to euthanise the dog rather than agree to the procedure. This could be due to concerns over the success rate, the cost, or the intensive care required at home during post-operative recovery," he says.
"But the fact that Gumbo is enthusiastic about food and is successfully eating on his own is proof that the procedure is successful," he adds.
Dr Dave now plans to publish this case study in a veterinary journal.
"Removing a jaw is very different from amputating a limb," Choudhuri explains. "You can teach a tripod dog to walk. But how do you teach a dog to eat again?" The answer came unexpectedly. To prevent dehydration, she would place Gumbo's tongue into chicken broth and gently cup the liquid into his mouth.
"He learned how to manoeuvre his tongue on his own," she says. "By mid-January, he began lapping broth independently and soon progressed to blended meals."
This week brought further good news. The lymph node biopsy returned negative for cancer, confirming complete tumour removal.
Today, Gumbo's only remaining challenges are what Choudhuri jokingly calls his "social butterfly syndrome" and his refined palate.
"He refuses plain water," she laughs. "He prefers cucumber-mint water with ice cubes or chicken broth. For meals, he loves chicken and fish, as long as it's blended into a smooth paste so he can eat it himself."
Now fully recovered, the 10-year-old Labrador is up for adoption in Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai.
"He's extremely gentle, loves people, and gets along beautifully with children and cats," Choudhuri says as her five-year-old son strokes Gumbo's head. "On walks, he insists on greeting everyone. His walks may take longer, but his adopters will make many friends along the way."
Oct 2025
Month Gumbo first underwent surgery
. Visit shelters run by organisations such as the Youth Organization in Defence of Animals (@yodamumbai) in Malad, and The Welfare of Stray Dogs (@wsdindia) in Sewri to see which dogs are up for adoption
. To adopt a senior dog, follow Bowsome Senior Dogs India Foundation on Instagram @bowsomeseniordogsindia and fill out the application form available on their profile
. The NGO staff will counsel your family to match you with a cat or dog that's a good fit for your lifestyle
. A few basic to-dos before you pick up your new pet: Scope out the closest veterinarian, animal pharmacy, and food sources. Get a collar, leash, and pet tag with your contact number on it
Dr Vikram Dave is a veterinary surgeon specialising in orthopaedics and neurology, with over 18 years of experience in his field. He and his wife, canine oncologist Dr Ashlesha Dave, run Blue7 Vets, an animal hospital in Borivali West. Dr Dave has undergone training in the US, Australia, and Europe, and has gone on to pioneer pet medicare in the country. He was the first in Mumbai to perform a total hip replacement on a dog in 2024 and is currently conducting groundbreaking neurosurgical research that could someday translate to brain surgery for animals.
