Donkey and people

Donkey and people
Here we are in Tunisia! Dr Jaber Belkhiria and Dr Tricia Andrade were awarded a University of California at Davis Blum Center Poverty Alleviation through Sustainable Solutions graduate student grant. We will be here for a month to assess the role of Tunisian donkeys in development.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Camel Consultations and Human Connections

There is something universal about the connection between humans who love their animals and the veterinarians who provide care. We listen to the human being, and we treat the animal; in the process we show our caring for the person. If we are lucky, that person expresses their caring for the veterinarian. It may come in the form of money, a handshake, or a dozen eggs. Today, it was a camel ride.

On a drive Saturday, we passed by a seaside area with three camels in a parking lot. As we approached the camels, the owner saw we wanted to take pictures and began to ask for money. Jaber told him Tricia was a visiting veterinarian and the photo opportunity quickly turned into a veterinary consultation.




The camels were a family and the yearling had recently eaten an excess of fibrous cereals. We asked all the right questions about history, inspected the package of probiotics he had administered, and learned about his home remedies, which included vinegar. The camel was recovering from a depressed appetite, but was still weak from acidosis. We made our recommendations to discontinue the vinegar and try baking soda and beer.



The owner expressed his gratitude for our concern and offered Tricia a ride on the Momma Camel. Needless to say, this was a novel experience even though she is an experienced equestrienne.  The owner further showed his trust in us by handing Jaber the leadline.

UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Ambassadors. One animal at a time.

1 comment:

  1. Amazing! You know, I've never heard of giving camels a beer. I imagine there are some good stories if that is a common practice...

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