Kanpur: Nearly three weeks after the death of Kanpur Zoo’s oldest lion, Ajay, a histopathology report has ruled out cancer as the cause of death, revealing instead that the 18-year-old big cat succumbed to a combination of ruptured lungs caused by emphysema, kidney failure and cardiac arrest.Speaking to TOI on Sunday, Kanpur Zoo wildlife veterinarian Dr Nasir said the histopathology report, received from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, on Saturday, “did not show anything resembling cancer.”He added that although Ajay was suffering from severe internal health complications, the lion “appeared completely strong until the very end.”Referring to the report, Dr Nasir said Ajay’s lungs were severely affected by emphysema. He explained that a tumour-like mass had developed in the lungs and ruptured internally. The rupture caused massive internal bleeding while allowing air to accumulate in the chest cavity, severely compromising lung function.During the postmortem, veterinarians found nearly seven litres of blood pooled inside Ajay’s chest. Dr Nasir said the trapped air in the lungs caused acute respiratory distress, excessive panting and difficulty in roaring. He added that one of Ajay’s kidneys had become severely enlarged and had completely ceased functioning.Ajay died on June 17 at the age of 18 years, three months and two days. He had stopped eating a day before his death. On the morning of June 17, he suddenly vomited blood and became too weak to support his own body weight. The massive internal bleeding led to hypovolemic shock, preventing adequate blood flow back to the heart and ultimately resulting in cardiac arrest.
