Dilemma

Many of the animals that are presented for surgery are in very bad condition. They are malnourished and have an abundance of parasites, external as well as internal. The puppies are often extremely anemic and protein deficient. If these animals were presented for surgery at a clinic in the US they would be treated for these problems before being allowed to undergo the stresses of anesthesia and surgery. Our dilemma here is that there are no other options for these animals. We are here now and only have this one opportunity to spay neuter. If the animals are not altered while we are here they will be contributing to the overpopulation problem. This is one of the harsh realities. I believe we must take the risk and alter every animal we can at our clinics. Last year one dog died post surgery. The dog was an older female that was pregnant. She recovered but died during the night. Her owner was a little boy and he was devastated as was everyone involved. This year we lost two puppies during surgery. Neither animal was a good surgical candidate. Both were small, anemic and parasite ridden. Everyone involved was greatly upset. The owners of these puppies had been explained the risk and accepted the deaths. We altered many puppies that we were very worried about that survived surgery. It is an extremely hard choice to make. The answer is to have more spay neuter available to these communities. If we could arrange for a DVM to be here 3 or 4 times a year these animals could receive treatment for parasites and be better surgical candidates. The animals could be treated for parasites and then be altered in a month. This is of course what I am trying to set up. We have left supplies on Holbox including suture, 30 surgical packs, clippers, scrub, sterile drapes, sterile gloves, syringes and medications so animals can be altered by any visiting veterinarian.

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