Our Latest Volunteer - Stina
The Winter in Ireland is long
The winter in Ireland is long, wet and grey, combine that with the need to go out and see some of the world and do something where one can use ones skills, and a stay at TOLFA seemed like a great idea.And it sure was, 3 weeks of sunshine, constant greetings from happy people and even happier animals and interesting fulfilling work.
Cleaning a maggot wound on a boar with two of our animal assistants
I was a complete beginner in India, and though Pushkar is described as calm and sleepy it was about 100% more hectic than home, always a new festival to celebrate, always a few prayers to be said in a temple, and if nothing else was happening the man with the drum would walk the streets at 4 am, just to make sure that it didn’t get too quiet.
Once I got used to the scooter and knew my way there, the journey to the hospital was great, through amazing mountain scenery, meeting the girls with the goats, and big smiles from the locals in the village. To arrive at the hospital would always make me smile, the gang of dogs running up to greet you, and all the amazing staff smiling and greeting you.
At lunch I would always spend a few minutes in the cowshed with its calm and relaxed cows and donkeys, just to absorb the day’s events and new experiences.My arrival at the hospital was just after implementing the new ABC programme which meant neutering 20 dogs a day, and a lot of new staff. So after spending a day observing the flank spay technique (and adjusting to the heat), and a day operating with Dr. Ashok, I was let loose with my own assistant, and started operating on my own.
It took a bit of getting used to, I usually work in a very small practice and have to do everything on my own, so having someone sitting on the other side of the surgery table, that probably has watched more ABC’s than I’ll ever perform, was a bit strange, but once I got used to it, it was great, and I was seriously considering bringing my own assistant home with me at the end of the 3 weeks.
The new kennels would be full of dogs with all sorts of problems, especially maggot wounds, it takes a while to get used to picking maggots out, and then pour turpentine into the wound, but it works, and it’s amazing how quick the wounds heal once it’s being looked after.
The large animal side of things were quite an experience too, since cattle walk on any lane, street, highway and motorway it means that they frequently get on the wrong side of India’s rather hectic traffic. Also the fact that you can’t euthanase animals meant that you would see a lot of cases that you would never see at home.
To see these brave animals struggling with the most exotic ailments and still be very happy and have a good quality of life, gives hope and food for thought about how we value our animals at home. I’m not sure that many Irish farmers will give the go ahead to a leg amputation of their cow though.
It was altogether an amazing experience, which will stay in my mind for a long time, and I really hope the opportunity to go out there will arise again someday. All my best wishes and thoughts go to all the guys at TOLFA, good luck with all your hard work.
Stina Aarup Hansen, Veterinary Surgeon October 2007