Instant Diagnosis and other events for the intern

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

5 days before the Agriculture Department (AD)'s veterinary scholarship interview. I tried to show the intern the workings of the AD to prepare the intern well for the interview since she indicated keen interest in being a veterinarian.

One of the functions of the AD is to make sure that supply of chickens to the consumer is healthy. So, a visit to a poultry farm would be appropriate. "No visitors," the poultry farm owner said to my contact who called for an appointment to visit a breeder and layer farm. "AD prohibits visitors. Maybe some months later. However, if you have money-making proposals, the farmers will have time for you, in my experience." Well, I don't have any financial deals for the farmers.

The other poultry farms, the pig abattoir also said no visitors. The Veterinary Public Health, part of the AD wanted a written letter but time was short.

Suddenly, 2 officers of the AD came to my Surgery to show me a white tablet and asked some questions about a breeder who kept a stray cross-bred puppy in her kennels. The breeder had mentioned that I had treated the puppy but this was incorrect.

One officer towered above me. The other older person who handed me the 500 mg griseofulvin tablet had known me for some 30 years ago when I was working for the AD as a veterinarian. We had not met for many years and the presence of the AD officers at my Surgery was not a good sign.

"Your reputation in the small animal and pet shop industry preceded you," I said to the taller man. He did not know what I was talking about. "You are known to be very stringent and would issue summons for infringement of rules and regulations on the spot." He had a job to do.

The intern had been checking on the Miniature Schnauzer with fever. I asked her to be present. This would be the first time she would see the real AD people. "Why does the AD prohibit the visits to poultry farms?" I asked. "Bird flu," the older officer assumed the intern know what bird flu is about.

No visitors. No chance of getting bird flu seemed to be the rationale for this prohibition order. There were some recent bird flu deaths in people in Indonesia. So, a blanket visitor ban would seem to be the prophylactic solution.

At least the intern got the answer directly. I promise the AD officer that I would do a medical examination on the breeder's stray puppy soon. There was a public complaint about the puppy being "sick" or something. I was not sure as I was not permitted to see the letter.

As it was half an hour before my 4 p.m appointment to vaccinate dogs at a breeding farm, I would schedule the next day.