Vetnews | Desember 2024 48 « BACK TO CONTENTS FIFTY YEARS IN VETERINARY PRACTICE (PART 1) In November 1974 I qualified as a veterinarian. I already had a BSc Agric with majors in Dairy Science and Economics and had worked for two years in industry before being accepted into Onderstepoort. I was scheduled to join the late Dr Max Taylor in his practice in Pietermaritzburg once qualified. However, the day before doing my final surgery exam he met with me urgently to tell me that either I purchased the practice or there would be no position available. This was not what one wanted to hear whilst busy with exams, a young baby and being in debt after self-financing your studies at Onderstepoort. On completing my exams I put on my old suit and walked the streets until I found a bank manager who was happy to advance me the funds necessary to buy the practice. On the Saturday after receiving my results, I was the sole owner of the practice. A few days later, on Christmas day, in fact, my circus (no pun intended) started. I was phoned and told of a lion at the local Lion Park who was extremely unwell. Terror resigned as we were all well aware of just how little we knew about lions. First principles would have to apply. On arrival at the Lion Park, the patient was surrounded by Christmas visitors and the jubilation extended beyond them when I realized the lion was dead. Dead lions don’t hurt! The post-mortem revealed a huge spleen. Had I in the first few days of practice Joined the Anthrax club? There were no Anthrax bacteria in the blood smear. A few days later I was spaying a Great Dane and its spleen was nearly the size of the lion! The penny dropped pentobarbitone! I contacted the lion’s owner and after a few phone calls, he confirmed that the horse the lion had fed on had been euthanized and had been very difficult. The diagnosis was confirmed. Beyond that, the owner had recorded many similar losses and the policy was adopted not to feed animals that had been chemically euthanized. The problem stopped and fortunately, I was hailed as the wildlife fundi. A few days later I was telephoned by Terry Crispy, the manager of Wilkie Circus. He had an elephant that was discharging pus from its right foreleg. When I arrived at the circus the elephant handler Hans Muck, a tiny German informed me that the elephant - Jacquie was very dangerous and that she was very intolerant of being handled. I darted her from a distance and fortunately, she went down on the opposite side to the injured leg. The site was cleaned and opened and a piece of 12 gauge galvanized wire was removed. It was about a meter long. An antidote was given and I departed to return 10 days later to remove the suture. On getting back to the circus Hans told me when I walked up to her she was greeting me. It meant nothing to me as I did not recognize it as a greeting. I removed the sutures without a fuss and 45 years later Jacquie greeted me with tears flowing. She used to run up to me bellowing with excitement. Jacquie recently passed away at the age of 90. Visiting Jacquie with my grandkids 45 years after operating on her. Her moist eyes very evident. John Borrowdale, a classmate and very good friend joined me in my newly acquired practice, He had not been there very long when a doctoral student from the local university brought in an American Fruit bat he had brought with him from the States. On examination, it was readily apparent that the bat had a very septic eye and despite treatment, John eventually decided that the eye should be removed. The problem was the anaesthetic. The student assured John that this was not a problem and he had done plenty. The bat was brought in in a ball jaw. The student applied ether to the ball jar and they waited for a reaction. Nothing happened. More ether was applied – nothing. After a while, a very concerned John insisted that the jar be opened only to find the bat deceased. Cause of death? Feet stuck in the lid of the jar. Rabies – a vet’s nightmare. A lovely young lady who had a beautiful German Shepherd came in and reported that the dog was showing nervous symptoms. The animal was put into an observation cage and regularly examined. My then-partner and I were both convinced the dog was rabid despite all vaccinations being up to date. On the third day, its condition had deteriorated severely and Dr Max Bachman the state vet was called. He too examined the dog and agreed with the diagnosis and the dog was euthanized. Brain smears were negative! And then the opposite occurred. An elderly war veteran came in on a Monday and asked if I would vaccinate his staffie again for rabies. The dog’s vaccinations were up to date but it had had an altercation with a little white scruffy stray the night before. Ralph had separated them and the little dog had disappeared through the fence. I vaccinated the Staffie and thought no more of it. Six months later Ralph died of rabies. There was apparently an insignificant scratch on one of his fingers after separating the dogs. He had thought nothing of it. On average I have seen about 5 rabies cases a year and it is not getting better with a problem in a game reserve where land is mined. v Life plus 25 without parole Mike Lowry Mike Lowry has been in veterinary practice for "life plus 25" years. In this column, he shares his experiences and opinions. Regulars I Life plus 25 +25
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