Monday 8th June. Kiribati weight loss programme.

Drinking moi motos.

Leesa has been laid low today feeling a bit ordinary with a tummy bug (hence the title) so had to stay in bed and look after herself (but she looked 95% better in the afternoon!), Helen has been powering on like a duracell bunny and has been very calm with amazing stamina and endurance, and I have been flagging a little today, trying not to get sick. It was our second and last day at BTC and a few of the US Pacific Parterships crew were feeling a bit sick too, so we were all happy for a quieter day. Paige, Brian, Logan, Ryan, and Gabriel enjoyed the moi motos that we brought back from our walk yesterday!

The rubbish truck actually went out today and brought back two loads of dogs  (12 dogs in total) in a big metal cage. Helen brought an injection pole all the way from Australia which came into it’s own today. It saved a huge amount of stress both for dogs and people when we were administering the premedication injection through the sides of the cage rather than trying to restrain very scared and stressed dogs. One guy brought his dog on a motorbike.

Today's patients.

Helen's injection pole in use. Very nifty and great for dogs and people.

Next patient arriving in style.

 

We did some more training with Rui and Temwa trying to get them used to the drug mixes we were using and aseptic technique for surgery. I was also teaching Rui how to take blood samples from dogs which he will need in the future. Difficult without fur clippers and dogs unused to being handled much!

Paige and Temwa working together.

Our cutest patient for the day!

One interesting part of the day was meeting with the BTC mayor and clerk about what their dog management plans were for the future. We concluded that we would prepare a trifold pamphlet about the benefits of dog desexing to people (and dogs!) that would be translated and given out household to household together with information on garbage collection and tuberculosis awareness. I must say at this point in time we are feeling overwhelmed about the scale of the issues here and the disorganisation of so many things, some within their control, some not.  Education about the value and benefits of desexing their animals would certainly be helpful as part of the way forward. Time will tell. Off to a new council tomorrow.

Mite infestation on the ear pinnae of a cat. this will respond
well to ivermectin.