Small Animal Experience
Our non-profit clinic provides critical veterinary care to small animals (mostly dogs) in the Chintsa area. Our Community Project extends this care to small and large animals in disadvantaged communities throughout the Eastern Cape. In the clinic, students help our Program Vets with pre-op, surgery, and recovery. The goal of our spay/neuter campaign is to create a smaller and healthier population of animals in villages with no means or access to veterinary care. Students also spend 2-3 days (1-2 nights) at one of our community sites, during which the group examines and treats several hundred animals. This may be under the direct supervision or on behalf of a Program Vet- training is provided for all levels of experience and a Program Coordinator is assigned to each group of students for support and advice.
Non-Profit Clinic
At Least 1 day within a 2-week period
The Wild Coast Veterinary Clinic is a non-profit institution that services the animals of the Chintsa Village and surrounding area by treating various injuries and illnesses such as Mange, Biliary, Transmissible Venereal Tumors, open wounds and abscesses. Basic spay and neuter surgeries should decrease the prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, aggression, and malnourishment.
Students shadow our Program Vet through patient care, in-house lab work, and surgery. Students are involved in each case from history to diagnosis to treatment and recovery. Students observe and assist throughout each surgery and practice suturing on simulation skin pads.
Community Project
At Least 3 days within a 2 Week Period
Animals in remote areas are by far the most in need of veterinary care- through our community project, we serve animals with no access to veterinary medicine throughout the Eastern Cape. Students perform clinical exams and administer treatment for parasites, tick-borne diseases, minor wounds, and infection. Students also learn about Xhosa culture and customs while working in the community. The majority of our small animal experience is through our Community Projects.
Large Animal Experience
Whether you want to be a large animal, small animal, mixed practice, or exotics vet, you’ll need large animal experience to get through vet school! Equine practice and farm animal production are major areas of veterinary medicine and a big part of any veterinary curriculum. We designed the large animal component from recommendations and prerequisites of AVMA accredited vet schools to give our students the most relevant hands-on experience. Students work with a variety of animals in a production setting and through our non-profit community project.
Horse Rehab
Opportunities Include:
- Vaccine and antibiotic administration
- Wound treatment
- Tick prevention
- Post-mortem exams
- Clinical exams
- Focused lameness exams
- Focused cardiac, respiratory and GIT exams
Beef & Dairy Cattle
Opportunities Include:
- Pregnancy testing
- Disbudding and dehorning
- Oral dosing
- Vaccine and antibiotic administration
- Wound treatment
- Post-mortem exams
- Clinical exams
Sheep Husbandry
Opportunities Include:
- Oral dosing
- Vaccine and antibiotic administration
- Lambing
- Tail docking
- Wound treatment
- Post-mortem exams
- Clinical exams
Pig Production
Opportunities Include:
- Artificial insemination
- Tail docking
- Vaccine and antibiotic administration
- Nutrition & suppliments
- Wound treatment
- Post-mortem exams
- Clinical exams
African Wildlife Experience
South Africa has one of the most diverse and exciting populations of wildlife in the world. In Chintsa, we are surrounded by a number of game reserves that frequently capture and release animals. We work with several highly qualified and experienced wildlife vets who enjoy teaching students about their profession and the incredible animals they work with every day. Students work closely with the wildlife vet and their capture team to locate, immobilize, transport, and release wildlife, a process commonly known as “Game Capture”. Students also work with wildlife through our rehabilitation program at the East London Zoo, and the reptile sanctuary.
Game Capture
Why Game Capture?
The majority of our African wildlife experience is through game capture: the tranquilization of wild animals for treatment or relocation. Tasks include monitoring vitals, injecting medication, and physically transporting the animal. Students also learn about the dart gun and have an opportunity to practice under supervision (firearm operation & safety training is provided).
There are many reasons that an animal might need to be captured, including:
Genetic Variation:
Most wild animals in South Africa are contained within a government and private game reserves to protect them from the growing human population. This has created a need to closely monitor the population of animals within each reserve to prevent inbreeding and overpopulation. Animals are moved in and out periodically to mix up the gene pool.
Land:
Sometimes the land on a game reserve becomes inappropriate for type or number of animals on it and they must be relocated, i.e. during a drought or after a bush fire.
Poachers:
Another danger for animals in game reserves is illegal hunting, also known as poaching. This is especially troubling for reserves with certain species like the white rhino. When a game reserve experiences a high level of poaching, the animals may be removed to a different part of the reserve or another reserve for their own safety.
Illness/Injury:
This is not as common a reason as most people think it is, because wildlife are usually more difficult to find and capture when they’re ill or injured. The sedation may even be more of a risk than leaving the condition unattended. Money is also a consideration, as it often is in veterinary medicine- the worth of one animal may not be great enough to warrant the necessary vet bills (similar to a production animal point-of-view).
Game Farms:
This is a major reason for game capture in South Africa and it’s a strange concept for people from the Western world- a man with a private game reserve may buy a giraffe simply because he wants to own a giraffe. The process is strictly regulated to ensure that the land is appropriate, the vet is using acceptable drugs & equipment, and the animal’s welfare is not compromised. This is a controversial topic and there are many factors to consider (including those mentioned above)- students have an opportunity discuss this topic with our wildlife vet, Program Coordinators, and each other as a group discussion.
Reptile Sanctuary
Exotic veterinary medicine involves species of all shapes and sizes. At the local reptile sanctuary, students are taught basic reptile handling, identification, and husbandry. A full reptile handling certification course may be available upon request.
Zoo Enrichment
Students work with the East London Zoo to provide environmental enrichment for the resident animals. Enrichment allows animals to demonstrate their species-specific behavior, thereby enhancing their mental and physical well-being. Enrichment projects include constructing and introducing objects, sounds, and smells into relevant groups of animals. Our volunteers provide the main source of enrichment for many of the animals at the East London Zoo for a well-rounded African wildlife experience.
NOTE: Small animal, large animal, and African wildlife experience are all covered within a 2-week period, however, activities are planned according to the needs of the community so we cannot guarantee which species or activities will be offered at any given time.