Conference misery::feline

944.0. "Animal Hospital" by AYOV22::KKEARY () Fri Nov 03 1995 02:15

    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    In the UK we have a great show called Animal Hospital.  It is about a
    vets practice in London where people on income support and benefits can
    take their animals to be treated at a very low cost.  There are atleast
    half a dozen vets who work in it and the queues are always out the
    door.
    
    Anyway, on last nights program one of the senior vets had his own cat
    brought in.  It had been hit in the face by a car.  He was obviously
    shaken but described the injury's and the operations he was about to
    do.  He said he was ok because he had to concentrate on what he was
    about to do but that there was no way he could be interviewed when
    finished as he would be too upset.
    
    He had to remove Penny's right eye, stitch a gash in her tongue and
    repair a broken palate.  She was in intensive care and we will find out
    next week whether she makes it or not.  Please keep all fingers and
    paws crossed for her.
    
    The same vet had to bring his old dog in to be put down earlier in the
    year.  It had been hit by a car when it was a puppy and he had put it
    back together again.  No owners could be found so he cared for it for
    the next 14 years until old age took its toll.  It was a heartbreaking
    program, not a dry eye in the house.  Hopefully Penny will pull through
    and he won't lose both pets in the same year.
    
    Other cat stories which have been featured: 
    A woman in England who takes in and looks after hundreds of strays.
    
    Because it is set in London many people have cats in tower blocks and
    it is unbelievable how many the hospital get that have fallen from
    balcony's and have a broken lower jaw or worse.  That was a very
    distressing feature as it was mainly young kittens and some of them
    were killed when they fell or had to be put down due to their injury's.
    
    They have also covered most feline illnesses.
    
    They try to keep a good balance between happy and sad endings but the
    main thing that comes over is how much each vet really loves animals
    and enjoys their work.
    
    I am going to be away on business for the next fortnight but I have
    asked my husband to tape the show.  I will put in an update on Penny
    when I get back.
    
    Kirsty 
    
                                                

    On a separate note, I also liked the program that Rolf ... the
    Australian fellow :-) ... does from the London and Whipsnade
    Zoos.  Similiar to Animal Hospital, it features stories each
    week on different animals, talks to their handlers, the vets
    and the unique health problems each animal has, etc.
    
    They're very interesting, as well as educational ... wish we
    had something similar here in the US
    
    Sue

    
    I love watching Animal Hospital. I actually 'rescued' my cat, Mischa,
    from the Harmsworth Hospital back in 1980 when she was just 8 weeks
    old. They do brilliant work and it's a really educational program and,
    hopefully, the BBC are donating plenty of money to the RSPCA.
    
    Trevor