Botswana Africa April 2011

Our small team of four is heading out to our pilot project in Botswana very early on Thursday morning!   We are going to do our best to write on the blog when and if we get access to the internet!   We are looking forward to our collaboration with the Maun Animal Welfare Society and assisting in the work with domestic dogs in Maun and the surrounding area.  Stay tuned....

Ucluelet Animal Wellness Clinic continued

Sunday, November 28, 2010

A matching pair!

Donna and pups waiting to be admitted

   After breakfast and a brief team meeting, we made our way up to the community hall by 9 a.m. Clients were waiting at the door when we arrived. It's so nice to see such an eager community, and one which is so "on board" with what we are attempting to do for them and their pets.

Isabelle and kitten

Melanie figuring out drug dosages

   Today was even busier than yesterday but seemed to flow more smoothly.  By the end of our day we had completed twenty-three spays and neuters, and approximately forty vaccination and deworming appointments had gone through. The community was so thankful for all we had done for their pets that they gave the team freshly caught salmon to take home with us.  Thank you to the Ittatsoo reserve once again for a very successful weekend spent with you, and especially to Suzanne Williams and her husband for providing us with delicious meals and accommodations for the weekend! 
   After clean up and packing up of our medical supplies, the team spent the evening having fun and laughs playing Cranium.  

Sarah and pup

Kristina and kitten in recovery

Caitlin and boxer sharing a moment

Ruby and pup in recovery

A recovering boxer

Handsome boy

The salmon gift

Cranium

   
Thank you to all of the team members who made this clinic one of the best we have ever held on the Ittatsoo reserve.

   To see all of our photos from this clinic, please visit our Flickr site at: 
www.flickr.com/photos/caat/sets/ 

Ucluelet Animal Wellness Clinic continued

The community hall - our temporary clinic

A waiting client and pup

Kris, Donna and Barb in Admissions

Sarah, LeAnne and Dr. Rob starting a spay

Donna and Lijila in surgical prep

Caitlin and a pup in recovery

 

Kitty waiting for surgery

Ruby and kitten

Monitoring during surgery

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2010

 Our clinic opened at 9:00 a.m. There were people waiting at the door with their animals when we arrived at the community hall (our clinic for two days).   Barb, Kris and Richard worked on admissions, and Dr. Veronica and her tech and assistant started doing physical exams/vaccinations/dewormings/pre-surgical exams.  The other two Veterinary teams started the spays and neuters.  The day was busy with a steady stream of dogs and cats being brought in for their surgeries and/or vaccinations and dewormings. By the end of the day (6 p.m.) we had completed approximately seventeen spays and neuters as well as thirty animals were vaccinated and dewormed.  We were invited to a Potlatch by the community but we were disappointed to be unable to attend because we worked later than we had anticipated.  The team went out for pizza in town instead and spent the evening relaxing and getting to know one another better.

Ucluelet Animal Wellness Clinic continued

Friday, November 26 - Many of the team came across on the ferry from Vancouver (two hours)  to Nanaimo and then drove through rain, ice and snow over the summit to the west coast of Vancouver Island (approximately three hours).  Several braved the elements and drove up the Island from Victoria and Sidney, and across from the Qualicum area on the east coast of the Island.   After dinner, our first team meeting was held by Donna Lasser, Team leader, where a brief overview was given of how the clinic was to proceed the following morning and questions were answered.  We hit our air mattresses and sleeping bags early, anticipating a busy day tomorrow.

Driving conditions at the summit

First team meeting

Ucluelet, Vancouver Island Animal Wellness Clinic, November 27 & 28, 2010

Team members, from left to right:

Dr. Veronica Gventsadze (Vancouver), Melanie Gordon (Tech - Victoria), LeAnne Fogarty (Asst - Vancouver), Ljilja Kovacevic (Asst - Vancouver), Dr. Hannah Weitzenfeld (Vancouver), Kristina Bradley (Tech - Sidney), Sarah Richards (Tech - Invermere), Donna Lasser (Tech - Hope,BC), Caitlin McLagan (Asst - Vancouver), Isabelle L'Hebreux (Tech - Calgary), Ruby Wong (Asst - Vancouver) Dr. Robert Spooner (Vancouver). (Missing:  Barb Ashmead -Asst. from Qualicum Beach BC and Kristine Riggins - Asst. from Nanoose Bay, BC.)

This was CAAT's third clinic held on the Ittatsoo Reserve in Ucluelet BC.  Ucluelet is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, just south of Tofino. The Reserve is situated on a peninsula across the bay from Ucluelet.  Such a beautiful location to spend a weekend.