News Updates - World Vets - Our mission is to improve the health and well being of animals by providing veterinary aid, training and disaster relief worldwide

Marley’s Miracle: World Vets gives an old boy a new lease on life

Apr 24

By: Jane Ebbitt, CARE Nevis Animal Society

For the second year in a row a World Vets team arrived on the tiny Caribbean island of Nevis to assist the local rescue group CARE Nevis Animal Society with pet wellness and a mass free spay-neuter clinic. For four days the team led by World Vets field service veterinarian, Dr. Winnie Neunzig, worked alongside the CARE volunteers from early morning till well after dusk, their immense efforts yielding amazing results of 283 spay-neuters, 92 vet consults, 400 vaccinations and 4 elective surgeries for other serious health problems.

For one dog in particular, the World Vets visit became a life-saving mission. That dog is ‘MARLEY’.

The old and the young, Marley puppy sits Sweetie

The old and the young, Marley comforts a puppy

Marley is very dear to our heart, he is the ‘Grandpa Patriarch’ of the CARE Rescue Shelter, our first rescue found on a local beach in November 2009. The victim of a dog fighting ring, he had been abandoned and was starving, near death, when we picked him up. The indomitable spirit of this dog, who was given 6 months to live back in January 2010, has been our motivation that every stray animal deserves a ^second chance at life and love. Marley is so gentle his self-imposed mission in life is to welcome every puppy to the CARE Rescue Shelter. He nuzzles, protects and tells them all that their days of running scared are over.

Marley’s tumors

Last year Marley developed a testicular tumor and other large tumors on his underside. We watched in dismay as the tumors doubled in size within a year. Due to his age of approximately 11 years, and risk factors, no vets would tackle surgery to remove them. We asked World Vets field service veterinarian, Dr Winnie, and World Vets volunteer, Dr Mike Henes, if they believed he would survive surgery to remove the massive tumors, which were weighing Marley down. They gave Marley 75-25 odds of making it,and, although it was a difficult decision to make, there really was no other choice.

From left to right, Jane Ebbitt, Dr. Winnie Neunzig, Dr. Mike Henes and LVT Corinne Anders

And so, Winnie and Mike assisted by senior Vet Tech, Corinne Anders, got to work and operated on Marley. For 30 minutes scalpels flashed, clamps were placed and needles stitched up the wounds at lightning speed. With no complications at all during the procedure, Marley’s 3lbs of tumors were removed and a now ‘streamlined’ Marley emerged from the operating table to recover.

Within 24 hours our Patriarch of the CARE Shelter was rejuvenated, recovered and back amongst all the puppies that he loves so much. He now walks with a spring in his step, greeting the puppies with his usual snuffles and big licks.

We can’t thank the World Vets team enough for giving our Miracle Marley’ yet another lease on the life he loves living. We are so, so… grateful.

: Marley

: Jane Ebbitt with Marley in recovery

: Marley’s tumors

: The old and the young, Marley puppy sits Sweetie

: From left to right, Jane Ebbitt, Dr. Winnie Neunzig, Dr. Mike Henes and LVT Corinne Anders

: Dr. Mike Henes with Marley after surgery

The Little Team that Could! Ecuador

Apr 24

During the month of April World Vets had a team in Ecuador. We anticipated this to be a challenging project as this is a very high volume clinic and our team was just half the normal size.

However, despite our limited volunteer force, our team well exceeded expectations in relation to the number of animal patients that could receive services. Working in two municipalities in Northern Ecuador, our little team was able to perform hundreds of free sterilization surgeries in just a short period of time. Needless to say we are thrilled at the outcome of this project!

We’d like to thank our tireless volunteers and leaders, PAE-Ibarra, the municipalities of Atuntaqui and Otavalo, as well as Fondation Brigitte Bardot for making this great effort possible!

8 Week Student Internship Available this Summer with World Vets!

Apr 22

World Vets seeks an enthusiastic and hardworking student intern who is ready for an adventure! This summer (starting June 1st) we have an exciting internship opportunity based out of our Latin America Veterinary Training Center. This center is located in Granada, Nicaragua, and is also home to our International Veterinary Medicine (IVM) Program. The IVM Program is World Vets student program that provides international students with an opportunity to gain practical veterinary experience as well as hands on instruction in relation to performing clinical tasks.

As part of this opportunity, the student intern will work alongside World Vets staff and volunteers, out of our Latin America Veterinary Training Center, to aid and assist with the execution of this summers IVM Program. More details are provided below.

Tasks/Responsibilities

– Assist with local logistics and coordination as it pertains to the IVM Program, in addition to providing general animal care. Activities and tasks may consist of the following

Taking part in animal collection and returning animals to their homes/communities following recovery
Tending to surgical patients post op in recovery; monitoring, grooming, and administration of post op medicines
Taking part in community outreach activities, which provide free veterinary services for dogs, cats and horses in outlying rural communities
When appropriate, helping to prep animal patients for surgery
Miscellaneous administrative/data collection duties

– Act as social coordinator for IVM Program participants while the program is underway. This will consist of the following

Welcoming students/instructors to program housing upon arrival and showing them around the house and to their rooms (and, labeling rooms with the names of who will be sleeping where each session)
Being the “go to” person should anyone have any “tourist related” questions in relation to where they can go to do this, where they can go buy that, best places to eat etc.
Getting everyone signed up for an activity prior to the designated free day and getting these activities* lined up (and collecting money for this if needed)
Take part in group activity that is scheduled the day after arrivals
When there is free time or during evenings, organize activities or social get-togethers where people can get to know each other, have fun, and experience more of Granada. I.e. rally up people to go out to dinner, to go shopping etc.

*World Vets has 3 set activities that we offer to coordinate for IVM Program participants

Eligibility

This internship opportunity is open to pre-veterinary and/or veterinary technician students. Veterinary students may also be considered, however, getting surgical experience is not part of this opportunity.
Preference will be given to those who have participated on a past IVM Program session.
We seek a student that is able to commit to 8 consecutive weeks, from June 1 – July 29, 2015.
Spanish fluency or conversational Spanish is desired, though not a requirement.

Conditions

This is a non paid internship, but an excellent opportunity to gain experience working with an international non profit and with animals in need
There is a fee associated with this internship opportunity. In exchange for this fee, the following will be provided for the intern; housing for the duration of the internship, airport transfers (on assigned days), ground transportation related to clinic activities, breakfast, and lunches on clinic work days, program supplies and full participation in program activities, in addition to a World Vets scrub top and/or gear.
What is not provided (and what the intern will need to cover): International airfare, optional excursions/activities, dinner, Nicaraguan tourist visa ($10 USD), travel and/or health insurance, personal equipment necessary for the opportunity (i.e watch, stethoscope, water bottle), incidentals and anything not specifically outlined as included.

If interested, please send a copy of your current resume/CV to info@worldvets BEFORE APRIL 30th. Please list your full name, and include the past IVM Program session you participated on and whether you are able to commit for the full 8 weeks.

Couple Makes World Vets a Part of Their Big Day

Apr 15

California newlyweds, Aron Cooperman & Lainey Hu share a love for animals. Lainey is a veterinarian at Kirkwood Animal Hospital and Aron is an engineer and professional photographer at Open Light Photo. Together they live in San Jose with their Australian Kelpies, Dally and Cricket (pictured above). For their big day they asked friends & family to contribute to World Vets and help animals in need around the globe!

The generous pair had a destination wedding in Ambergris Caye, Belize and plan to celebrate with a stateside reception in July of 2015. Lainey explained that for their big day, she and Aron wanted to give back while encouraging their wedding guests to do the same. “World Vets is an organization that not only helps more unfortunate countries, but also incorporates teaching students, doctors and technicians alike,” Lainey said of choosing World Vets as a donation recipient. “It just made sense.”

Lainey began her involvement with World Vets in 2013, when she participated in an Equine project that provided aid to horses in Granada, Nicaragua. “What better way to see the world and do something more than just sightseeing,” she said of her volunteer experience. So far, friends & family of Aron and Lainey have raised over $400 in honor of the couple. All funds raised by this event directly benefits World Vets and goes towards the care of animals that would otherwise have no access to life-saving treatment.

The World Vets team is honored that Aron and Lainey made us a part of their special day. We would like to congratulate them on their recent marriage and thank them for their continued support of World Vets’ mission to improve the health and well being of animals worldwide.

Inviting friends & family to donate in your honor is a wonderful way of supporting the work that we do. World Vets’ Event Registries are not just for weddings. You can register any upcoming event, including graduations and birthdays! To make World Vets a part of your special day, click HERE!

World Vets Carries out First-Ever Exotics Project

Mar 30

This past week World Vets carried out a pilot project that provided veterinary attention and care for wildlife. As part of this endeavor, we partnered with a wildlife rehabilitation center located in Roatan, Honduras, that takes in injured, orphaned or confiscated wildlife.

Our team was led by World Vets field service veterinarian Dr Mike Corcoran. Dr Corcoran is not only a wildlife / exotics vet but is also a certified aquatic veterinarian through the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association.

Throughout the week, our volunteers attended a variety of animals including three distinct species of monkey, jaguars, ocelots, and an assortment of exotic birds. They provided general examinations, dental cleaning , sexing, alongside many other services.