Veterinarians Surgically Remove Shoe From Stomach Of 341-Pound Crocodile

A crocodile in Florida has gone through a journey to remove an unsavory snack from her stomach. Veterinarians at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine had to surgically remove a shoe that was eaten by a 341-pound Nile crocodile named Anuket. 

Anuket swallowed the shoe in December, after it fell off of a zipliner zooming above the crocodile's habitat at the Alligator Farm Zoological Park in St. Augustine, Florida, according to University of Florida (UF).

The 10.5-foot crocodile was seen eating the shoe, regurgitating it and eating it again, according to the school.

Vets first attempted to flush out the shoe, but that didn't work. So, Anuket was brought to UF for Dr. Garrett Fraess, a zoological medicine resident, to try to remove it by hand.

Fraess is seen in photos reaching his entire arm through Anuket's esophagus, but that method proved to be unsuccessful and Anuket was scheduled for surgery earlier this month. 

Large animal surgeon Dr. Adam Biedrzycki tried to move the shoe through an incision and then push it from the stomach to the esophagus. Fraess then tried to reach in and grab the shoe from the esophagus, but he still couldn't pull it out with his hand. 

So, Anuket underwent a gastronomy, performed by Biedrzycki. Finally, the vet was able to remove the shoe, which appeared to be intact, according to photos taken in the surgery room.

After the successful surgery, Anuket stayed at UF overnight and then was able to return to her habitat to recover, the university said.