The story told by the magazine "Dobro.The press" took place in Azerbaijan, where the participants of the International Volunteer program "Mission DOBRO" went.
The story told by the magazine "Dobro.The press" took place in Azerbaijan, where the participants of the International Volunteer program "Mission DOBRO" went.
Russian veterinarians have arrived at the only shelter in Azerbaijan that helps disabled dogs. It contains 400 dogs and 100 cats. Among them was our heroine, the veterinarian of the Vladimir clinic, oncologist Alena Stelmakh.
The dog Toma had been living in the shelter for several years and no doctor in the country agreed to operate on her because of the huge tumor. To understand what kind of tumor it is, it needs to be removed, and then a histological examination is performed," says Alyona Stelmakh. - But the local doctors confessed to me - they thought if the tumor was growing so fast, then it was very malignant and it did not need to be removed. And they have little experience.
- Already during the operation, it became clear to me that this is a benign tumor from adipose tissue and all its negative effects are associated only with the pressure of the tumor mass itself on the veins and nerves of the dog, - continues the veterinarian from Vladimir. - The operation lasted about an hour, I removed the tumor, a doctor from a local clinic helped. The tumor weighed almost two kilograms and it was all growing on the dog's neck!
Now, two months after the operation, a dog named Toma is active and there are no complaints from volunteers about her condition. The prognosis is good, says Alyona. And he remembers the Azerbaijani mission with warmth.
The "DOBRO Mission" in Azerbaijan was organized with the help of the Association of Volunteer Centers and Rossotrudnichestvo, the call of veterinarians and volunteers was from the BETTI clinic and the GWARP shelter. Russian specialists worked at the clinic and went to the shelter to monitor and diagnose animals. We held receptions together with our Azerbaijani colleagues.
- I have conducted more than 100 receptions and consultations alone. Together we performed several abdominal surgeries, 5 resections of malignant tumors and treated and removed dogs' teeth. We gave lectures for veterinarians. One cat had to have a malignant breast tumor removed and somehow alleviate her suffering, says Alyona Stelmakh.
The issue of stray dogs and cats is acute in Azerbaijan. Street animals face numerous problems: neglect, starvation, human cruelty and animal husbandry. Increasingly pets are also being thrown out. The Heydar Aliyev Foundation is also engaged in solving the problem of inhumane treatment.
Photo from the personal archive of Alena Stelmakh