World Vets - Nicaragua

Carinne Ramirez, Lincoln Memorial University

During my second year in veterinary school, I had the opportunity to participate in World Vets in Nicaragua.  I initially decided to go in order to prepare myself for third year surgeries; but after my first day I knew this experience would be so much more than that.  

I had never been to Nicaragua or participated in World vets.  After the first few days, I was shocked at all the limitations the clinic had and the lack of money locals had for their animals despite how much they depended on them for their livelihood.  I learned how to monitor and administer total intravenous anesthesia because isoflurane was too expensive and too hard to keep supplied in the clinic. We used headlamps to see during surgery and made the best out of what we had.   

The clinic had no central air system, and in the summer of Nicaragua doing surgery with cap and mask made surgery difficult.  Many volunteer veterinarians brought checked bags to supply the clinic with needed supplies that could not be bought. It was a group effort to keep the clinic going; but it was much needed in the community.  Locals brought their pets to be spayed and neutered for free and we as students got surgery experience; but I gained so much more than experience. I gained a perspective that would forever change how I would practice veterinary medicine. 

So many people have horses that pull their carts to the market, and the money they bring in feeds their family.  These animals mean everything to them yet their income is so low they often do not have the resources to properly care for their animals.  They care so much for these animals that many would have their animals vaccinated before their children. I saw many horses with overgrown hooves and sores from pulling carts and most were underweight.  From an outsider perspective these animals appear abused and neglected, but these animals are so loved. I couldn’t believe how thankful the locals were when we had an outreach day that offered medical care and vaccinations for their animals.  It was a full day for us, and I felt so accomplished at the end of the day. We were able to provide necessary medical care for so many animals and in turn helped the welfare of not just the animals, but their owners as well. The experience was invaluable for me and gave me a new perspective I would take with me throughout the rest of my schooling and I will keep with me when I start my career next year.

Outreach and education are two very important characteristics I want to embody as a veterinarian.  Education on how to properly care for animals as well as information on what producers and owners can do to better animal welfare can only be obtained through working with those educated in the field.  In most cases, that person happens to be their veterinarian. As a soon to be mixed animal practitioner, I plan on holding seminars for producers to help them become better at their job and fulfilling the oath I took to promote animal health and welfare and relive animal suffering.  Nicaragua allowed me to see the oath I took in real world situations and gave me a clarity on the kind of practice I would go into. I will strive to continue to go to underserved areas and use my talents and the education I have received to serve both the community and the animals through public education.  Just like the veterinarians who worked hard to give me this experience, I want to volunteer my time to give students like me a new perspective and outlook on animal welfare in underserved areas.

WorldVets Experience

Hoedspruit, South Africa

Ann Marie Picone from Ross University

Like most vet students, I have known I wanted to be a vet for as long as I can remember. As a child, I also developed a healthy obsession with The Lion King and dreamed of one day traveling to Africa to see all the animals from the movie up close and personal. This summer, I was fortunate enough to fulfill this dream – I completed a two week program with SA WorldVets in Hoedspruit, South Africa. During the program, we worked with Dr. Chris Bosshof, an exotic animal vet who has the largest clientele in South Africa. We worked with a variety of hoofstock including impala, inyala, sable, rowan, and cape buffalo. We even got to assist with capture and relocation of three giraffes! He also taught us about the different darting methods and drugs used to immobilize wildlife, and we got to shoot a dart gun on the ground and in the air from a helicopter! Our work days were long, but we did have other “excursion” days where we took part in more tourist activities like touring Kruger National Park, visiting Moholoholo Animal Rehabilitation Center, and driving the Panorama Route. This trip was truly a life changing experience and I recommend it for anyone considering a career in zoo and wildlife medicine! 

Laica

Alexander Robb, V’13
Tufts University
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
Experiences

I never would have guessed that scrambling eggs would be an important moment in the course my veterinary education.  This summer, such a seemingly mundane act took on a much larger significance.  For a week in July, I traveled to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua with WorldVets to participate in a small animal spay/neuter campaign.  San Juan del Sur is a beautiful coastal town with many nice shops and restaurants lining the beach,remarkably friendly people, and an unfortunately limited supply of regular veterinary care.  Our group of veterinarians, veterinary students, technicians, and volunteers spent a week in town, with three days totally dedicated to clinical procedures.  We spayed, neutered, enucleated, drained abscesses, repaired wounds, did healthy consultations, and administered medication for over 400 animals in that short period of time.  For some in our group, the highlight of the trip was their first spay, for others it was treating a crocodile with a wound or a monkey with a urinary tract infection.  For me, it was one dog in particular. Laica in her body suit Her name is Laica, and the fact that I can still use “is” to describe her, is amazing.

Laica came into our clinic on the second day for a routine spay.  I wasn’t involved in her surgery, but there weren’t any complications that we were aware of while she was under our supervision and care.  Once ready to go home, she was discharged to her owners with instructions to keep her inside for the next day and keep a close eye on her as she recovered.

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