StudentNews every single animal that I saw over the summer meant something to me, and felt important. I will tell you about Budge, a gorgeous white and gray longhaired, smash-faced beauty <strong>of</strong> a cat with huge paws. He came onto my radar because he had a persistent cough, and being the student veterinarian, I got the opportunity to do the treatments because the BSPCA did not have any veterinary technicians to assist the sole veterinarian. While Budge didn’t particularly enjoy having oral medicines every day, he was a very sweet cat, and I came to look forward to giving him his treatments. But his cough didn’t get any better. Hansel Geo Thomas, 26, a young Indian native to Bahrain, has a lot on his plate. He is the sole veterinarian at the BSPCA. The country’s Trap-Neuter- Release Program is his brainchild, but it is also going to give him more work than he has time for, and his wife just gave birth to their first son. So when I asked him about Budge’s persistent cough, he wasn’t terribly optimistic. He said it was most likely hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition that would render Budge unadoptable. Between the two <strong>of</strong> us, we had so much work to do that it took about two weeks for us to find the time to ultrasound Budge’s heart. In that time, I had taken to spending a little bit <strong>of</strong> time with Budge every day, and was charmed by a cat who literally hugged me when I picked him up, and seemed happiest when he was in my arms. He purred like a broken lawnmower. But sure enough, when we gave him an ultrasound, Budge’s heart was too big. He was unadoptable, and that was surely a death sentence for the poor cat. I’m pretty sure you all know what’s coming next. And you’re right: I couldn’t stand the thought <strong>of</strong> this cat being put to sleep. So, I took him home. The running joke at the BSPCA is that Budge’s heart is so big because he loves so much more than other cats. Whatever it is, I know that Budge loves mango yogurt and Pringles, long naps and cuddling, and he will travel to the U.S. in early <strong>2013</strong>, when my friend in Bahrain comes back to the States. Budge is one <strong>of</strong> the more than 2,000 animals that go through the BSPCA every year. The organization has no government funding, is almost entirely volunteerrun, and yet, somehow, manages to make a difference. Now they have a Trap-Neuter-Release Program, neutering more than 50 animals a week in an effort to bring the island’s stray population <strong>of</strong> more than 20,000 under control humanely. They are an organization that works with the local population and culture. Through persistence, and an incredible amount <strong>of</strong> confidence in the impact that a small group <strong>of</strong> people can have, they are making a difference. For the past summer, I was a part <strong>of</strong> that effort. I learned a lot <strong>of</strong> the things that no one tells you about being a veterinarian. I learned about understanding the difference between what could be done in a perfect world and what can be done with the available resources and supplies. I learned about myself, all over again, from a new and different angle. I learned about what it truly means to have people look at you for the answer, trusting that you know it simply because you’re “the vet.” This nebulous concept <strong>of</strong> “veterinarianhood” that we all think about as students is an awful lot more solid and real for me now, and that is due to my time at the BSPCA. I don’t want to keep that experience to myself. So I have decided to start a scholarship to send other students to Bahrain, students that might otherwise not be able to have the kind <strong>of</strong> experience that I did. I want to do this because I know the difference that one person can have over the summer, and the difference that the BSPCA can make in a person over the summer. I want other people to believe in the kind <strong>of</strong> difference that we can make as veterinarians. These are the few people who do so much with so little, day in and day out. And I would love, more than anything, for my fellow students to know what it feels like to be one <strong>of</strong> those few. 19 The <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Georgia College <strong>of</strong> Veterinary Medicine
1 2 3 Clockwise from top left: 1. Budge and me at the shelter. This is the famous Budge-hug, and is one <strong>of</strong> the many reasons I ended up adopting him. Photo courtesy <strong>of</strong> Clint Smith. 2. This handsome little guy is Chocco, a feisty kitten who spent most <strong>of</strong> his time playing in the shelter. Had I the ability, I probably would have taken home every animal at the shelter, but this guy was pretty special, and I considered taking him home more than once. 3. Saying goodbye to Hope, a sweet pit mix who came in with an impacted collar and stayed because she was pregnant. Her daughters Joy and Grace were adopted shortly after I left. Photo courtesy <strong>of</strong> Clint Smith. <strong>Aesculapian</strong> <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2012</strong>/<strong>Winter</strong> <strong>2013</strong> 20
Change language