Couple of weeks ago when preparing my slides for a World Rabies Day Webinar by the Veterinary Association India, I was reading through the document ‘Rabies-Free City Initiative – Operational Guidelines’ – published by the Indian Government under the National Action Plan for (dog mediated) Rabies Elimination by 2030.
Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in humane dog population control – utopia or possibly the essential next step towards a sustainable solution? BY ILONA OTTER | April 29, 2025 The journey of my thoughts over the last year One year ago, around World Veterinary Day, I wrote my first post for this blog , noting that while writing or reading blogs was not anymore the popular thing to do, for my old-fashioned brain, it provided a way to structure and express my thoughts. Writing
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Spectrum of Care in Veterinary Surgery BY ILONA OTTER | APRIL 08, 2025 Recently, a Finnish veterinary colleague and Chairman of the Commission of the Finnish Veterinary Association shared on social media how she had operated a GDV surgery in her very basic primary care practice far up north in the Finnish Lapland with her 17-year-old daughter and the owner assisting in anesthesia monitoring as per her instructions. The reason she shared this was to encourage young veterinarians to try and do
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What is there for private sector vets to get involved in high-volume spay/neuter work? BY ILONA OTTER | February 20, 2025 India faces a significant challenge with its roaming dog population and the associated threat of rabies. This issue has received a lot of attention at all governmental levels, leading to the development of a national rabies control program (NRCP). A critical aspect of this plan is the canine component, which primarily involves sterilizing and vaccinating stray dogs at approved Animal Birth Control (ABC)
What is there for private sector vets to get involved in high-volume spay/neuter work? Read More »
India faces a significant challenge with its roaming dog population and the associated threat of rabies. This issue has received a lot of attention at all governmental levels, leading to the development of a national rabies control program (NRCP). A critical aspect of this plan is the canine component, which primarily involves sterilizing and vaccinating stray dogs at approved Animal Birth Control (ABC) centers. I refer to this initiative as the ‘traditional ABC program’ approach.
What is there for private sector vets to get involved in high-volume spay/neuter work? Read More »
Flank or midline spay – where is it best to cut? BY ILONA OTTER | February 20, 2025 Flank or midline approach for female cat/dog spay? Welcome to the world of spaying and neutering! February is officially recognized as Spay/Neuter Awareness Month, culminating in World Spay Day on the last Tuesday of the month. During this time, lots of amazing non-profit organizations, programs, and private vet clinics join forces to share valuable information and organize spay/neuter campaigns. Many of these efforts continue
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One frequently asked question in the spay/neuter community is whether vets prefer the flank or midline approach for surgery and why.
Historically, the lateral flank approach was more common in the earlier decades of animal birth control work in India. This preference was largely due to the ability to easily view the surgical site from afar, and because of the reduced risk of intestines falling out if there was a surgical site infection or wound dehiscence. Back then, surgical techniques and materials weren’t quite what they are today, leading to more post-operative complications.
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Spectrum of Care – How to redefine gold standard in veterinary medicine? Focusing on: Indian Canine Epilepsy Project BY ILONA OTTER | January 30, 2025 At the beginning of the year – (end of Jan still counts as beginning of the year, right?) we are often faced with a question like: What was your biggest takeaway or learning from the previous year? What did you learn in the previous year that you want to take with you to the new year? I
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At the beginning of the year – (end of Jan still counts as beginning of the year, right?) we are often faced with a question like:
What was your biggest takeaway or learning from the previous year?
What did you learn in the previous year that you want to take with you to the new year?
I have seen questions like that coming up multiple times on my social media feeds as well as in the new planner-cum-journal I got for myself. When it comes to my profession, I have a clear answer to that question:
Spectrum of Care and its application in veterinary medicine.
Spectrum of Care – How to redefine gold standard in veterinary medicine? Read More »
For over 15 years through my work with WVS, I have been involved in programs that focus on guiding and coaching veterinarians in India in basic surgical and anesthesia skills. My goal has never been to make them the world’s best neurosurgeons (as if I would be even qualified for that!!!) but to get them off the starting line—to instill in them the belief that they can perform surgery and, with consistent effort, continue to improve. With a foundation in surgery, anesthesia, and analgesia, a world of possibilities in clinical veterinary medicine opens up.
Happy New Year – Are You Ready to Get Off the Starting Line? Read More »