June 10, 2007----

This report is being written “from the field.”  It will have to be uploaded to the internet at a later date.  Below:  Dr. Liz Dobson

 Yesterday two fantastic volunteers arrived.  Liz and Annie are two competent and witty Veterinarians from Australia, both living in the UK.  Soon Liz is moving to Ithaca, NY where she will be doing a two year residency at Cornell University in Wildlife Pathology.  They arrived with a donation that our clinic really needed . . . a refractometer, which can be used for body fluid analysis.

I spent entirely too much time talking, no doubt starved for English conversation with females!  We retired pretty early following a delicious vegetarian dinner!

Below:  Dr. Annie Cook

Today we are conducting a veterinary clinic here at our jungle facility.  People started arriving at 9:30 AM.  There is a huge crowd of people and 12 animals awaiting treatment.  Two dogs are currently under “the knife.”  Annie and Liz have both neutered one male dog each, and right now Esther is spaying a female dog. 

I am thrilled that Annie and Liz were duly impressed with the abilities of two of our full-time Veterinary Assistants.  Ricardo and Behtjane (Betty Jane) have not received any formal training.  They are experts at prepping animals for surgery and assisting in every way.   They also know how to prepare the clinic and sterilize everything and set up sterilization stations for the vets.

Right now Annie and Liz are discussing treatment for heartworms.  Esther’s English lessons seem to have paid off, and I am glad for her ability to practice English.