Buffetting : CM Day 5

The morning was regular, foot scrubbing and pus draining until Dr P started his work on the pig in the farm. She was tied on the snout using the typical pig snount, but she was grunting a lot, and VERY loud, till the point Dr Erica had to plug her ears with her finger like a little girl. We started off trying to sedate her using sedatives and 18G needles; which we failed to get it in even after 30 minutes, although we had 3 qualified vets in the confinement. Dr Erica insisted in getting the butterfly catheter, which to her expectation worked. Although Dr P wanted to trim the nasty sow's hooves without the sedative, Dr Erica insisted on the sedatives to prevent further struggling and distress to the sow.

Originally not planning to be part of the procedure, Dr Erica ended up helping out and getting involved anyway. As the butterfly catheter went in witht he sedative injected under Dr Katheryn's help, the sow dropped down instantly. Dr P started the cattle knot on the sow; which upsets Dr Erica a little because it was a sow, not a cow they were trying to treat. She and Dr P has their difference, but she acknowledges the fact that everyone has their own way in treating the animals, so there isn't an absolute right answer.

While they administered the 2nd dose of 1g thiopentol sodium into the sow, they were worried they might need another dose, hence sending me back to the clinic to get 2 more bottles. I sped to the clinic huffing and puffing; only to realize I didn't ask where the vials were. I ransacked the racks but I couldn't find any. I've never been the best dude to search for items, even back home; but I've decided that I shouldn't waste too much time on finding something which I don't even know where it can be, and sped back to the confinement. Dr Erica and Dr Katheryn were extremely understanding when I apologized because they didn't direct me at the right direction. The sedatives were in the small animal clinic, which I have had no idea where it was anyway; and it would be a miracle for me to get even a bottle from the elephant clinic.

As they were discussing, I realized how different it was things in the west compared to what we have at home. If I were to commit the same mistake at home; I would have been bashed by the seniors or vets on my failure to actually ask and confirm the position of the items before I dashed. Even I would do that. But Dr Erica totally took the fault by her own, instead apologizing to me although she is the vet whom I am supposed to learn and shadow here. Something which I'm really glad to be working with.

The hoof trimming went smoothly; Dr Erica made it a point that whenever she is treating a bad hoof, cow, horse or pig; she would trim till the first bleed or pus-oozing out so that draining of it will take place. If it were to be a mare, she would wrap it with plaster or what not; but since the sow has a high chance of tearing the wrapping if it was done; while unwrapping the wrapping again incur another sedative session, she've decided to leave it with some povidone flush.

The whole sedating-trimming session was pretty dramatic, 3 vets with 4 assistants no less; but it was pretty cool to see so many knowledgable vets working together to solve a case. Dr Erica is extremely worried about the heating up of the sow because of the physiological disability of pigs to sweat; she waited until the sow wakes up before she splashed the sow with a basin of cool water.

The morning continued with positive reinforcement and footwork in the training wall with Crissy; while the fun part was not till after lunch.

After lunch, we managed to witness the booting of Mae Tii, the elephant with foot prone to infection by Dr Erica and Steve, an Ozzie man who brought the boots in. It was like a pretty ice skating shoes on Mae Tii, but the glides made so much more noise. It's made of canvas and some cushioning, and was meant to put on Mae Tii during raining season when the foot infection flares up substantially. Since the mud is much more intensified during the raining season, the abscesses of course increased too Putting the boots on will reduce, hopefully the pus formation. Dr P took the liberty to show me his version of the boots for Mae Tii which he made himself too. Those were pads at the bottom, with ropes to tie the pad firmly at the bottom without the socks part. The ones Dr Erica used had socks, so it somehow will reduce the amount of pathogens entering the pad, while Dr P's had like open entry for any kind of pathogens. I guess he didn't communicate with Dr Erica well about the idea of the boots they had differently.

The afternoon continued and ended with the usual afternoon treatment. Everyone else is much comfortable in letting me to take over some jobs today; to my dismay I'm leaving tomorrow. I love the job here, but I guess I love T more *joking*.If I had the choice, I would stay longer, definitely.

I was supposed to be out with Banks, Bon and Bae tonight for some party; but I guess I was a little too late and there's this miscommunication. I ended up waiting from 5.15 to 6.00 pm for Bank, but he didn't show up. I guess its just my luck then? It's not a big deal, I'm working with them and taking pictures with them too, plus I'm the outsider here anyway.

Today has been great, plenty have been learned. I'm somehow looking forward and not to tomorrow, like I'm looking forward to meeting T, but I'm not looking forward to say good bye yet because there's so much to learn and so much to miss here. The people, the elephants, the work, the food, ugh, my room; I definitely will come back again if I had the chanced, time and resources.

There will be a foot specialist coming in tomorrow; hopefully I can learn more, at the same time taking pictures too for my collage and memories storing.