“Awwwww, it’s too cute to be real.”

– Me every Sunday

For the last month and a half, I have been volunteering at the Rover Veterinary Hospital every Sunday, for the first half of the day. This program was offered to me by the head doctor, Dr. Eranda Rajapaksha, who gladly offered me the job. I spend my day helping the doctors and nurses with the various cases that they deal with, cats and dogs alike, and have learned many things about animal welfare, pharmacology and other medical practices under their guidance and expertise.

 

 

Most of my tasks revolve around helping the other nurses when a case is brought in. I have to hold the dogs/cats down when a test is being done, I have to clean up after the doctors finish their testing, I have to make sure the pet is comfortable and not stressed out, I have to give them food and water if needed and additionally, I get to pet them! What more could I ask?

 

 

 

Most of the time, I also have to watch over dogs/cats that have undergone some operation and are not in their best conditions, meaning that I have to stay with them and make sure they are hydrated and observing for any physical changes happening like sudden wheezing, coughing, vomiting, etc. that may cause complications to their condition. While doing such duties, I also get to keep dogs/cats company if they seem lonely, especially in the dog ward/boarding.

 

 

For as long as I can remember, I have been surrounded by animals and I was allowed to have my first official pet for my sixth birthday under the condition that I would be responsible for his well-being more than any other member in the household: I would walk him, take care of him if he falls sick and bathe him.

And for the past 11 years, that’s exactly what I have been doing.

So, really, taking care of animals comes quite naturally to me so I wasn’t disgusted by the vomit or the blood or the saliva or the wounds. Yes, it did make me squirm and sympathize for the poor fellows but never once did I feel disgusted by it. After all, this was my natural habitat. It helped that I didn’t fear dogs as well because I rarely deal with puppies and cats; most of the time, it ends up being big, big dogs.

There are many things I have learned while volunteering and many skills that I have gained by being in this environment and being exposed to such cases.

I have learned many practical things and use them even to check the well-being of my own pets: the skin turgor test for dehydration, the discoloration of dogs’ gums indicating a lack of blood cells, swellings near canula region indicating a blockage/bend in needle, stomach muscles contracting possibly indicating vomiting, dry nose indicating a fever, blue/opacity in eyes indicating cataract, etc. I also know how to change IV drips and how to fix it if it isn’t working correctly. I also know how to give dogs/cats medicine and make sure they take it.

 

 

I have learned some technical things as well: I have learned how to read FBC (full blood count) reports, I have learned about various antibiotics, vitamins, proteins and other drugs given to cats/dogs or various illnesses. I also know how to read an X-ray (somewhat) and how to look under a microscope for filaria, a parasite, in blood.

Some skills I have developed are definitely in the communication and patience areas. I have to communicate with the other doctors and nurses, often in Sinhala, meaning that I have to make use of my language skills in order to effectively communicate with them. I never struggle to keep up with what they say but I sometimes struggle to find the right technical terms in Sinhala but it is my first language so I rarely face many difficulties.

I have also learnt about the importance of patience and precision. You can’t rush things in a hospital, especially regarding an animal’s life so everything needs to be handled carefully, with precision, and even in emergency cases, never rush a doctor. My main job in such moments is to keep the pet calm as they tend to panic in such situations. So, keeping calm, soothing them, talking to them, it can’t just be half-hearted, you must mean because pets can sense it all.

The environment itself is absolutely fantastic: the doctors are always open to me questioning them about the various things they do, they let me read reports and even go as far as to explain them. They are always kind, always smiling and honestly, their love for animals is real. In everything they do, I can tell it: the way they talk to the pets, remember their names, the way they pet them before running any tests, they really do inspire me every time I see them at work.

And the nurses. How I love their company! We mainly speak in Sinhala and they always allow me to do tasks that they themselves can do with ease, like carrying dogs, walking them, feeding them, etc. they always ask me for help, keeping me engaged and always allow me to help them when I ask them if they need any support. And how they love animals! I can spend hours, and I have spent hours, talking to them about dogs and cats and snakes and lions and every other creature that roams this planet expect humans! It’s a wonderful way to relieve stress from the IB I truly am grateful for this opportunity!

Finally, the people that come with their pets. Nothing in this world fills me with joy the way pets react when they see their owners after days of being in the hospital. The way they wag their tails and the way their owners would call out to them with such love and care… I live for those moments. It’s funny how there are regular clients who I have seen over the past month and half and they know me just as much as their pets do. And they greet me just as they do to their doctor and it is great to see the relationships I’ve built by volunteering here. On the other hand, my heat breaks to see dogs/cats that have been neglected, thrown away, forgotten and brought in to be saved. I have held back from crying about thrice now and really, it breaks me apart. I wish I could adopt all of them but I do my best to care for them and I am glad that they ended up in this hospital because I know they would be cared for.

Overall, my experience so far has been great and I am grateful to Dr. Eranda for giving me this opportunity. I look forward to my Sundays even more now than ever before!