botswana

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Wed
21 ^st

A Leg To Stand On

Posted by Rose - 81 Comments

[Punch (brindle male, right front lower limb gangrene) and Zuka (Boerboel female, severe compound fracture of lower right hind leg), two of my Botswana amputations. Both of these pictures were taken at less than 24 hours after surgery — although Punch was pretty sulky about the leash, Zuka wasn’t shy about giving us a smile!]

Limb amputations are a relatively common surgery both in my current practice and during my volunteer trips. There are many reasons why a vet may wish to remove a leg; the presence of a tumor, a break which cannot be fixed for whatever reason physical or financial, nerve damage, severe soft tissue damage, infection…the list goes on. But amputations are one of my favorite surgeries to participate in for the simple reason of just how successful they can be at restoring life and removing pain. Read on for a glimpse into the life of just a couple of the amputation cases I’ve been privileged enough to work with.

Wed
22 ^nd

Herding Vets

Posted by Rose - 1 Comment

[The one and only group photograph of Team Rainbow Awesome in its entirety.]

Yes, that’s right — back to Botswana. Will I ever really leave? One of my veterinarians there has returned already, this time with the wife in tow, and reading about their adventures has left me almost painfully nostalgic for my time there. I started the trip with two vets and ended the trip with two different ones, but those couple of days in between when I had all four were something in-between exhausting and magical. I still miss this team and the wild, crazy, incredible surgery days we had together. I was so lucky to work with such talented vets. Despite all my attempts at group photos, we only managed to take a single one mere minutes before the first of us abandoned the group in order to go run a half-marathon (who does that, right?) but the day leading up to the photo will always stick with me.

Wed
01 ^st

#6, F, Shaggy Brindle(Pregnant)

Posted by Rose - 21 Comments

Kenny, our team’s MacGyver, uses rebar, barbed wire, and twine to set up a saline drip.

Back to Botswana. Both at the clinic and on the road we were working in less-than-ideal conditions, performing less-than-ideal surgeries. Weighing the risks against the benefits, particularly in communities where we knew we’d only be temporarily, with no option for aftercare or allowing a week or so to perk up prior to sterilization. I monitored more than a few hair-raising spays and neuters (and will never stop being in awe of the vets who not only performed those surgeries, but did so with a smile), but one that always sticks with me took place our last day of my first outreach, in Gumare. We had intended on only doing a quick morning there before hitting the road, but as anyone who’s ever worked in vet med knows (and with apologies to Robbie Burns), the best laid schemes o’ techs an’ vets gang aft agley. We met her in the late morning, one of those difficult cases of sterilization trips where one has to weigh lives in the balance and make a decision for the benefit of all. These are not easy decisions and these are not easy cases. But this is what we do.

Sat
21 ^st

The First Three Days (And Three Hours)

Posted by Rose - 3 Comments

[A birds-eye view of our recovery corner showcasing the classic Africanis dog; form, function, and tanned!]

In the spring of 2017 I spent six weeks in Botswana volunteering as part of a joint project between the Canadian Animal Assistance Team and the Maun Animal Welfare Society. It was an incredible experience that touched me deeply and it is not an exaggeration to say that I think of it every day, counting down the days until I can return (and hopefully one day on a more permanent basis). MAWS does an unbelievable job of offering sterilization and veterinary services not only to their home city of Maun, but also to uncountable villages up and down the Panhandle. Their resources are few but they have truly learned how to make the best of whatever they have! Working their definitely made me a better technician, able to problem-solve (and often by the seat of my pants), MacGuyver equipment, and monitor and maintain anesthetic on complex surgeries with nothing but my stethoscope and a syringe of thiopental.

“The First Three Days (And Three Hours)” is pretty self-explanatory, detailing my first experiences at the MAWS clinic and the lessons I had to learn quickly!