World Vets Trips

These dogs & cats will also receive appropriate immunizations for that region including rabies protection. They also receive medication to eliminate intestinal parasites as well as fleas and ticks that plague many communities.

Outpatient examinations and treatment are provided as well. Many of the pets have no access to veterinary care and suffer from a variety of chronic problems. Surgeries may also include the removal of an infected eye or a large tumor that is affecting the pet’s quality of life. World Vets does also send teams to care for horses and donkeys in underserved areas as well.

They also donate supplies following natural disasters and send disaster relief teams to help provide the affected communities with the means to assist the animals displaced by natural disasters such as the Japanese tsunami or the flooding in Thailand.

A typical team of volunteers includes an experienced field service veterinarian to lead the group, 4-6 more veterinarians and several veterinary technicians, assistants and untrained volunteers to support the group. It is amazing to watch this group of complete strangers become an efficient medical and surgical team performing a hundred plus surgeries a day in field conditions.

There is often no electricity, sometimes no water, usually a language barrier when the team arrives. Sometimes the medications and supplies get hung up in customs or items simply don’t seem to arrive as expected. The team typically finds creative solutions to the challenges provided by each project site and inevitability seem to find a way to accomplish the project goals.