VLA

I undertook work experience on the 26th and 27th May at the VLA lab in Bury St Edmund's.
The work experience I undertook here was very different to what I was used to and was successful in showing me a completely different side to the veterinary profession but obviously hugely important part of it.

I watched diagnostic tests done in the lab and was lucky enough to undertake some of these myself. I was able to use Agar plates and broth solutions to grow bacteria from a supplied sample and to see if any problems were present; E-Coli, Respiratory Issues and Mastitis were all found.

I was also able to watch a Ewe and Lamb post mortem from a very close proximity - enough to smell everything anyway! I watched the way that the ewe was dissected and how each piece of information provided the investigator with a way of finding out how the ewe died. The initial conclusion was asphyxiation. The lamb was suspected of dieing from lack of colostrum which it was explained to me is essential as it contains energy, protein, antibodies, minerals, vitamins and water. I was able to make slides from the ewes organs that would be used in further tests to confirm the cause of death of the ewe.

I spent a little time in the administration part of the VLA and was able to see how vital effective communication is between clients and the lab aswell as between labs. This is mirrored in how good communication is a vital part of being a vet.

I really enjoyed my time at the VLA and this has opened up a part of the proffesion I didn't know much about and spured me on into learning and finding out all about the different things I saw while at the VLA.

Lambing in Wales - 13/3/09-22/3/09

I went to wales on a lambing course and to help out on the farm either side of the course.
At the farm they had over 100 sheep, a few cows and pigs, as well as a variety of poultry.
My daily jobs included feeding; the ewes (pre-lambing), ewes (post-lambing), the sows, boar and weaners, the rams and the calf. Other jobs included cleaning out the animals, refilling waters and general maintenance and care of the farm animals. The lambing course was extremely useful.

On the Monday I learnt how to tube feed lambs and witnessed an injection into the eyelid of lamb.
In addition, I watched an assisted birth of a Texal ewe where the lamb had its head out and one front leg out and the other tucked up. I watched a lamb being fostered from one ewe to another after the birth mother ewe rejected it - it was a shearling. I learnt about the fostering techniques such as skinning and using a bag.

I used an artificial ewe where I practised assisting births where the head was back and learnt the normal position for a lamb in the womb. I placed lambing ropes onto the head and 2 front feet. I also used the artificial ewe for the delivery of twins where 1 was in the posterior position using lambing ropes.

We had a talk from a local vet who talked about common problems associated with sheep such as ORF, hypo/ hyperthermia, foot rot, twin lamb disease, calcium deficiency, listeria etc and the importance of vaccinations. In addition, a nutritionist came to give information on livestock feed- and levels of different nutrients in the feed.

I was educated on dealing with prolapses and the advantages and disadvantages of treatment methods such as a prolapse spoon and/or stitching. I took part in worming, delousing and numbering lambs and ewes ready for release into the field. For me to be able to do this I learnt how to turn over many sheep including the large texal sheep and clip their tails and feet. I checked the teeth of the ewes and condition scored them. I discovered that the back teeth are very important and that swelling from bad back teeth can appear as liver flux.

I had to help with modifying the horn shape on rams where the horn had grown into the eye.
At night, I took turns being on shift in the lambing shed with the 2 farm owners. Some nights I done over a 24 hour shift at the farm and this allowed me to see just how much I could do when pushed through the exhaustion barrier.

As I had been able to spend so much time watching the ewes normal behaviour I was able to see the signs of imminent birthing and difficult births (crouching etc) I was able to conduct an initial examination of 2 ewes to check that the lambs were in the correct position after the ewes appeared to be straining more than usual at birth.