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Area veterinarians respond to disaster
By Jennifer M. Latzke Dr. Deanna Post, of the Animal Hospital of Dodge City, heard about the Greensburg tornado on a police scanner late Friday, May 4. "They were calling over the scanner for all available ambulances, and police and response personnel to go to Greensburg," she said. As a veterinarian, she knew that not only would the human victims need help following the storm, but that their animal companions would need help too. So, she packed up what supplies she could into her vehicle: Pet carriers and crates, food dishes, bags of dog and cat food, and towels. And, she headed out for Greensburg, not knowing even if her help was wanted by the emergency response personnel. Once at the checkpoint outside of town, she told the police she was a veterinarian and they waived her through to the command center. There, she started setting up a triage, but she realized that her supplies wouldn't last through the long night. "I came back to the clinic and loaded up almost every supply in the place to take back there," she said. "Everything except my anesthesia machine." She packed antibiotics, fluids, indictable pain killers and yes, euthanasia solution for those animals beyond veterinary help. In a time of chaos, such as after a major natural disaster, it could be easy for emergency personnel to just brush off the help of trained veterinarians and the need for a response for the animals affected. Dr. Post said, however, that she felt those in command of the situation understood that they had a job as important as those treating human victims. "Whatever we needed, whether it was tables or to get a hold of certain people, we never felt like we were less important," she said. "It was in the back of everyone's minds, as they were dealing with the chaos of human lives that animals would need care too. "We knew that human lives will always be more important than animal lives to some, but to us (veterinarians) they're equally important because these animals are what people have left," she said. In a case where all is lost, victims can take comfort and hope in the lives of their animal companions. Perhaps the most poignant moment of the hectic weekend came when Dr. Post was called to the scene where rescuers had found an 8-month-old Weimereiner puppy trapped under a collapsed house. "We had about seven people, just guys we stopped as they were on their way past the house, and we were able to slowly raise up the side of the house and pulled the dog out," she said. "The dog's doing great, and his foot, which was caught under a window pane, is going to be fine. There was a guy who had gone under the most unstable part of the house at one point to get the dog and once we had them out of danger he just couldn't let the puppy go. He kept saying 'this is life.'" After so much destruction, even one small furry life saved was enough to break a stoic control over emotions. For the most part, the animals came through the storm with little damage. Mainly, Dr. Post and the other veterinarians on the scene Saturday, saw lacerations and abdominal hernias, with a few pets showing head trauma. By Saturday afternoon the Vet Response Team with the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association showed up with extra technicians to handle the situation. As a rural community with ties to farming and ranching, there were also many large animals that needed aid after the tornado. Several horses were treated for major lacerations, and several young animals were taken in. The final cost of large animal deaths won't really be known until evacuees begin to take a closer look at their pastures, said Dr. Kevin Cooper, Hi-Plains Veterinary Services, LLC, Pratt, Kan. Dr. Cooper was one of the first veterinarians as well, on the scene. "We've seen some horses with lacerations and some dead cattle," he said. "We had a lot of sheep with broken legs by Hopewell and a lot of animals are coming in with tiny splinters." With cattle, he added, it will either be an obvious health condition that a veterinarian can fix right away, or the owner will likely come back to find them dead. Several horses and other large animals were euthanized because of their injuries. "We've seen some cattle with grass tetany from getting into green rye because their fences were down," he said. "What farmers really need right now is help in clearing debris and re-building their fences to keep their stock off the road." He added that while a lot of the focus is on the town of Greensburg being so heavily damaged, a lot of farm families in surrounding communities were hit just as hard and still need aid. Health problems in pets and livestock may still appear after the storm, Dr. Post said. Owners will need to watch their animals for signs of anxiety, as well as other health conditions that may have been caused by the tornado. "Watch for diarrhea, something that stress can bring on," Dr. Post said. "They can sometimes get it drinking contaminated water, too. They might show signs of irritated GI tracts. And, since so many are being housed together, they may get fleas and ticks from each other. Watch for signs of coughing, upper respiratory tract infections, because we don't know if they aspirated water or rain. And, they could show signs or develop anxieties to storms in the short term." Those pets that were stable were being held at the Kansas Department of Transportation facility in Greensburg, which has been a contact point for the many evacuees. Some in more serious conditions were sent to area veterinary clinics for treatment and observation. About 200 pets have been claimed by their owners since the tornado. Unfortunately, with the uncertainty of many situations, some pets are already being surrendered by their owners. After May 16, those pets still waiting to be claimed will be moved to the Pratt County Humane Society, where they will have 30 days to be claimed. In published reports, Alice Bailey, manager of the Pratt County Humane Society, has said that owners who may not have space for their pets at this time should still contact the Humane Society, which can board them. She's also said that none of the animals will be put down, instead homes will be found for all of them. Those interested in adopting these animals should contact The Pratt County Humane Society at 620-672-6777. Jennifer M. Latzke can be reached by phone at 620-227-1807, or by e-mail at jlatzke@hpj.com. Items to keep in a storm shelter for your pets: --An extra crate or bedding --A supply of food and potable water --Water and food dishes --Any medicines your pet may need --A basic triple antibiotic ointment --Bandages --Litterboxes and replacement litter Dr. Post also recommends using microchip identification for your pet. A tiny microchip is implanted under the skin of your animal, and it contains your contact information. If a pet is lost, a veterinarian or animal shelter can wave a "wand" over the animal scanning for the chip and then track the owner down. E 2 5/21/07 Date: 5/15/07
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