In July, I spent a week working on an Indian reservation in North Dakota.  The trip was sponsored by the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association Rural Area Veterinary Services (RAVS for short) and is one of many that they provide throughout the year.  The group who worked on the trip was made up almost exclusively of volunteers.  On this trip, there were 8 veterinarians, 35 veterinary students, 4 veterinary technicians, 2 administrative volunteers, and 2 volunteer cooks (the food was very good!).

We met in Bismarck on a Sunday morning.  After a brief orientation period, we set off in a caravan (14 vehicles) to the reservation, a 3 hour drive.  The clinic was run out of the local rec. center.  The equipment for the clinic is contained entirely in a gooseneck trailer.  Everything is labeled and packed very specifically to ensure nothing is lost and all necessary equipment is available.  The level of medicine that was provided was as good as I have seen at most private practices.  This was one of the most impressive aspects, especially given the less than ideal working conditions.

Monday morning brought the first patients.  These were animals owned by local tribe members, as well as local non-Native Americans.  Monday through Thursday we spayed and neutered dogs and cats of all sizes, ages, and health status.  We did 40 to 60 surgeries per day.  Additional surgeries were done as needed.  For example, a dog was hit by a car and received an amputation of his front leg.  Another dog had a ruptured eye so we removed that as well.  A great dane on the trip had a condition called entropion, so we corrected that at the same time as her spay.

Friday was then spent as a wellness clinic.  Animals were brought in by owners, in some cases by the truckload, for vaccines and exams.  Some animals had minor health problems, others had major health problems.  Parasites were rampant on these animals, both internal and external.  Every animal was treated for fleas and ticks, dewormed for intestinal parasites, and vaccinated.  Animals with other health concerns had them addressed as well.

At the end of the day Friday, we packed up the clinic and left.  In all we saw nearly 600 animals.  The best part of the trip was getting to work with some amazing people.  The veterinarians were great people with a wide range of experience and expertise.  The students were all eager to learn, which made teaching a lot of fun.  Experience levels ranged from not knowing how to restrain a dog or a cat, to having done several spays and neuters on their own.  Most were somewhere in the middle.  The majority of clients loved their pets just as much as our clients here in Olathe.  Some were taken care of as well as our patients we see here, but these were the exception rather than the rule.  Overall it was a memorable trip and was a great experience.

Check out numerous photos from the trip on our Flickr page.

You can see the setup of the clinic, our sleeping area (on the gym floor), and several photos of students and locals.  Some photos that you won’t see were of the case of mange I contracted while on the trip.  Not one of the better memories I made, but quite the experience nonetheless!

The Olathe Animal Hospital and its doctors have a fascination for wildlife and exotic species.  A significant portion of our patients include non-traditional pets.  We have the knowledge and training to prevent, and when necessary, treat many of the common conditions that occur in small mammals, birds, and reptiles.

For many years our staff has volunteered its time and resources to save birds of prey that have been injured. Many are hit by cars or fly into power lines.  Operation Wildlife, the only licensed and permitted rehabilitator in our area, works in partnership with our hospital.  We have been fortunate to work on such species as herons, hawks, eagles, and owls.

Recently Operation Wildlife brought us a mature bald eagle that had been caught in a foot trap intended to catch fur bearing animals.  The middle toe on one foot was almost severed and the inside toe was damaged as well.  Using their expertise and patience, the team at Operation Wildlife provided care to this magnificent bird. Finally the wounds healed but the bird was left without a bone in the middle toe attaching the toe to the foot. The bird could not use that toe to grip its perch or to collect food.

The eagle was brought to our hospital for an evaluation to determine whether it could survive in the wild or whether it needed to become a part of a public education program.  The director at Operation Wildlife, Diane Johnson, and the director of the Olathe Animal Hospital , Dr. Mark Romain, evaluated the eagle under anesthesia (see photo).  It was determined that the bird could not grip well with the foot and that the toe was interfering with food collection.  Dr. Romain wrote a letter for the federal authorities recommending this bird be placed in a suitable public education program.

If you would like to volunteer to help with wildlife rehabilitation or make a donation to Operation Wildlife, you can reach them at 785-542-3625 or view their website.  If you have questions for our staff select “Contact Us” or give us a call at 913-764-1415.

Read more about our committment to Operation Wildlife and other community services.