en Manzanillo, A.C.
Free Spay/Neuter Clinic in El Naranjo
Co-Sponsored by ARA
by ARA Board/20 July, 2009
Besides scouting El Naranjo for a suitable location and securing the spacious Santiago Foundation building for the clinic, ARA volunteer Lona Augier plastered these clinic announcements all over town.
We had a very successful mini clinic, held at the Santiago Foundation building, Sunday, May 3, 2009. We performed a total of 29 surgeries with no mishaps and only one escapee who was later lassoed by a local resident and brought back to us. Her crate had not been properly assembled and she saw an opportunity!
The numbers; 6 female cats and 1 male cat and 2 male dogs and 20 female dogs. All animals also received their rabies shots and about 8 puppies were also vaccinated.
What was so great about this mini clinic was the interaction and involvement of the local community. Those who brought their animals were so grateful, stayed to help in recovery, all day. They brought their animals, their drinks, snacks and their kids. They were lined up at 9:15 and one family brought 5 dogs alone.
Some residents were asking me when we were going to do another clinic.
Jack, a volunteer, had left over candy which was a big
hit with all the kids and adults. Everyone had lollipops,
young and old, which was quite a picture.
The Clinic, Step by Step
Reception: volunteers scramble to register patients, who, along with their eager owners, were lined up at the door long before the scheduled start time.
Waiting Room: to keep the patients safe while they wait their turn in the operating room, they are placed in cages. Many cages were loaned by members of the community. This particular cage was purchased from Craig's List/Seattle and donated by generous clinic supporters.
Pre-Op: from hair clippers to spray bottles of antiseptic and vials of meds, the pre-op arsenal, though makeshift, is efficient and effective.
ARA's donation covered a full third of the cost of the clinic in El Naranjo. Very generous, private donations from ARA members covered the other two-thirds.
Recovery: Jack is petting a sleeping cat in recovery to help it wake up and to reassure it. Tools of the trade are nearby, honey to stimulate the licking response and rouse the patient, a thermometer to keep tabs of vitals, Q-tips to clean ears, and alcohol to help with tick removal.
Reception: the first step in the clinic process is completing the paperwork. This family brought two dogs, and have the initial registration paperwork in-hand. The form will travel with each dog as it makes its way through the clinic, step by step.
Reception: weigh-in is an important part of the reception process because anesthesia and medications are administered according to the patient's size.
Pre-Op: Diana calculates how much sedative and anesthesia to give each patient. Each animal receives a sedative before it is transported to pre-op. In pre-op, fur is shaved from the incision site and the area is cleaned with antiseptic. In addition to her responsibilities during the clinics, Diana is also the clinic coordinator, the go-to gal for planning and coordinating each mobile clinic. Since its inception in December, 2008, Diana has orchestrated about ten mini-clinics in needy neighborhoods in and around Manzanillo.
Operating Room: Nadia, Dra. Yolanda Hernandez and Dra. Gaby Leyva performing surgeries at the El Naranjo mini-clinic
Clean-Up: A neighbor and her son take a break from clean-up with the tail-end of the mini-clinic team to pose for the camera: Diana, MJ, Stan, Jack, Brigitte, Joe, Carol and Judy.
While Judy recovers the last patient of the day, the volunteers tear it down and clean it up. The mini-clinic is folded, packed and stuffed into vehicles, but the work's not over, yet.
There are cages to clean/sanitize, laundry from the O.R. and recovery room to bleach/wash, instruments to wrap/sterilize, boxes to inventory/repack, and then the whole shootin' match will be hauled to the bodega and stored until the next clinic.
Much goes on behind-the-scenes of a mini-clinic. It takes a real team effort to get one off the ground. Besides ARA's funding the El Naranjo clinic, ARA member Lona and Jerry helped with the planning and organizing; ARA member Dorothy and Gerry delivered some wonderful sandwiches to fuel the clinic team; and ARA member Brigitte worked the recovery room all day, then hauled laundry home and washed it, that night.
Return to the NEWS and EVENTS page