| Whilst education is a huge focus of our work,
there will always also be a need for the provision of veterinary services in rural areas
of The Gambia. The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust team are always busy providing veterinary
services to neighbouring villages. MOBILE
VETERINARY CLINICS
Every week our Mobile Veterinary Clinic team travel to
different villages to provide treatments to animals in need. Whilst our main focus is on
working horses, donkeys and mules, our team would never turn away any animal in need of
veterinary care. Once our team arrive in a village the local people bring their animals to
us for health checks and treatments. Working animals are an integral part of life in rural
Gambia, so their owners are keen to gain preventative health care treatments whenever
possible.
Trypanosomiasis (also known as Sleeping Sickness in humans)
is very common in The Gambia, and is a disease that affects large numbers of working
equines. A blood parasite passed on by Tsetse flies, this disease can be fatal if left
untreated but with the correct veterinary care it is easily treated. Other veterinary
problems that our team commonly treat include internal parasites, wounds, burns, lameness,
and colic amongst other things.
Routine worming treatments are provided, and we have staff
who are trained in equine dentistry and farriery so these services can also be offered to
those attending our mobile veterinary clinics.
| A horse receiving routine dental care at a
mobile veterinary clinic. Click on image to enlarge. |
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| Treatments at mobile veterinary clinics often
generate quite a crowd or observers! Click on image to enlarge |
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THE GHDT CENTRES
When we first started our work we had just one centre, but
as the charity has developed and grown over the years, we now have two centres - one in
the Central River Region of The Gambia and one nearer to Banjul.
At our centres we have the ability to admit in-patients who
require more long-term treatment than we can provide at a mobile clinic. At our centre the
in-patients can receive round the clock care from our trained staff. Our team have nursed
back to health patients with some extremely serious and life threatening illnesses and
injuries, including equines with serious burn injuries, broken legs, severe fungal
infections, laceration wounds and emaciation.
At our centres, we also care for orphan foals who are hand
reared by our dedicated team of staff and volunteers until they are old enough to return
to the families who own them.
Our newest centre is a busy veterinary hospital, providing
veterinary treatment for many horses, donkeys, dogs and cats whose owners are unable to
afford private veterinary treatment. We also provide sanctuary for numerous dogs and cats
who are unable to return to where they were found.
| Eto, a burns patient who was admitted into
the GHDT centre for long term treatment. Click on image to enlarge |
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| Eto, a burns patient who was admitted into
the GHDT centre for long term treatment. Click on image to enlarge |
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| Operating on a stallion at the GHDT centre.
Click on image to enlarge. Click on |
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EMERGENCY CALL OUTS
Our team of staff and volunteers are always on 24 hour
standby for any veterinary emergencies that they may be needed to assist with. If the
Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust receives a call about an animal in need of emergency medical
attention at any time of the day or night, they will ensure that they reach the animal
with veterinary treatment.
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