Can you run a veterinary service from a tent in Sri Lanka ?

Each year ( or  sooner if funds allow ) The Dogstar Foundation team working in partnership with our fellow Sri Lanka WSPA member Society the Tsunami Animal People Alliance  (TAPA) plans to run a Sirius 500 Clinic . The Sirius 500 is a 20-day mobile clinic which aims sterilize & rabies vaccinate 500 owned and stray animals using a proven Capture Neater Vaccinate Release Protocol ( CNVR ) working in two large tents

The surgical protocol TAPA &  Dogstar Foundation use in Sri Lanka originated from another WSPA Member Society the Yudisthira Foundation in Bali over 10 years ago. Running a CNVR program from a tent does work but standards must be set high and rigorously maintained , no compromises can or are made on surgical apsesis and each animal ( and vet ) are fully cleaned and prepped for suregy. Each surgical kit ( instruments  and drapes ) are autoclaved and a fresh surgical kit blades & needles are always used for each animal. Every Animal is weighed on arrival at the clinic , drug dosages calculated and a chart assigned, animals are given a pre med , analgesic and antibiotic cover and once suitably sedated they are placed on a IV Catherer to be fully anaesthetised. Once anaesthetised the animal has one ear  notched and cauterised ( to show its been sterilised ) and once the surgical site is aseptically prepared , the animal is carried to the operating table and placed on a drip.

The suregy is carried out by highly experienced Veterinary Surgeons who have had additional training in field surgery ,  in female animals the entire uterus and ovaries are removed ( ovariohysterectomy ) and incisions are no longer than 3 cm .  The testes of male animals are removed ( castration ) for all animals the suturing is internal using only high grade absorbable suture material that does not require a follow up to the Vet to be removed.  An assistant ensures each animal remains anaesthetised during the entire procedure

So although running a Veterinary Clinic from a tent  may seem a vastly different concept compared to taking an animal to a purpose built Veterinary Clinic the end results are the same , healthy sterilised dogs that are no longer going to add to the canine overpopulation.

We are currently fund-raising for the 2012 clinic , you can be part of our work by supporting the clinic and donating via our justgiving appeal below