Day Thirteen - Cabo Lopez

Our thirteenth day was the day with our shortest commute to work, because work came to us. Since we were staying at the Amazon CARES shelter, we set up our mobile clinic out front. No commute time meant more time to explore the grounds before work.

Ouch!

Me brushing one of the shelter dogs...he loved it!

Once the entire crew arrived and we set up our surgery site, we got to work.

One of our first patients required the removal of a bot fly from her back.

The bot fly larvae.

A few days, including this day at Cabo Lopez, we had a nurse from the local health department spend the day with us to hand out the human parasite control.

Dr. B. scrubbing in for surgery.

Our two surgery tables.

Many of the dogs we saw were missing teeth or had severely worn teeth.

Surgery side by side.

At Cabo Lopez, Donna and Debby provided the kids with Tootsie Pops and coloring books.

This little boy held his kitty until he woke up from surgery.

About half way through the day it started to rain, so we were forced to move inside where the lighting was nearly too dim.

The recovery area.

About the time of our last surgery the rain finally stopped. Some of the group decided to wrap up the day with some football/soccer.

Day Twelve - Punchana

Day twelve we arrived at Punchana with kennels full of street dogs waiting for us that Harri and the boys had caught the night before.

Even though our main focus of the day was treating the street dog population, we still saw any pets that owners were willing to bring in.

Many dogs were lead around by their front legs rather than by collars or leashes.

Harri intubating a dog.

Under anesthesia, waiting for surgery.

There were a lot of different methods and techniques that us veterinary technicians were able to learn from our Peruvian counterparts. For example, shaving for surgery with a straight razor and a pair of hemostats rather than the cordless clippers we are so accustomed to in the States.

Debby moving the next patient into surgery.

Prepping for a spay.

Betty applying topical parasite treatment to a patient.

Every surgery drew a crowd.

Prepped and ready for surgery.

Did I mention every surgery drew a crowd?

Across the lot from our mobile surgery site, one man spent his entire morning shoveling dirt from one pile to another pile about ten feet over after a dump truck apparently dropped it in the wrong spot.

After another long day of surgery, we headed back to the clinic to clean up. By now the routine had become second nature.

A street dog that was taken in for long term treatment.

Then it was a pleasant boat ride back home to 
Cabo Lopez.

Day Eleven - Punchana

We awoke to a cool morning on our eleventh day. We headed once again to Iquitos and the area of Punchana.

Children on their way to school.

Our site was still set up from the previous day, so we quickly got to work. In no time, patients started rolling in...literally.

Day eleven we had our first, and last, injury of the trip. One of our doctors, Luis, was bitten by a dog. Luckily, Dr. B. was there to sew him back up!

Later in the day, at the clinic, Dr. B. made sure Luis' wound was scrubbed 'til it was nice and clean.

At the clinic we had a chance to get to know some of the new adoptees.

This kid had a bad case of demodex mites when he arrived at Amazon CARES. He was a sweetie who just soaked up all of the affection and pats he could get.

Playtime!

She eventually wore herself out.

Growin' babies!

Back at the clinic we had one more surgery for the day, a fracture repair on this kid.

She had broken her right front leg about a month before.

Dr. B. and Luis headed up the surgery.

Dr. B. administering gas anesthesia.

Removing the old pieces of bone.

Placing pins.

Bending the pins.

Luis mixing acrylic.

Applying the acrylic to the bent pins, stabilizing them.

Closing up.

After surgery and doing well.