By Alan Wynde
Read about the country, the culture and how Alan got on.
A Veterinary Locum in Bhutan
“Has this puppy been given any medication?” I asked, as I peered down at a 12 week old German Shepherd ,which was fitting in front of me.“Only a small drink of a potion to ensure that in his next reincarnation he returns as a human being” was the reply.
It was 3:00 a.m. in an animal sanctuary a few miles from Thimpu, the capital of Bhutan, and this exchange typified the culture shock I was experiencing while undertaking a voluntary locum in this Himalayan kingdom.
The shock was multi-faceted, spiritual, cultural and professional. Bhutan is a stronghold of tantric Mahayana Buddhism, and its influence is omnipresent. Prayer flags flutter everywhere, where evil spirits gather there are shrines and chortens to deter them, prayer wheels line pavements, and monastries and dzongs (monastry/fortresses) hug the hillsides.
In rural areas people attempt to confuse evil spirits, which are very real to them, by painting large phalluses on the walls of their homes.
The philosophy of Buddhism was even reflected in veterinary practice. Euthanasia was a no-no; nothing was killed, not even the maggots removed from fly blown lesions, and if an animal dies it had to be disposed of in running water, in practice a river, with no consideration for the people who drink, cook and wash downstream.
Buddhism has also given the Bhutanese a huge respect for their environment, and what an environment it is. Ranging from high alpine habitats through coniferous and deciduous forests to subtropical jungle near the Indian border, the country has huge biological diversity with estimates of 5,500 species of plants and 770 species of bird ,all in a country the size of Switzerland.
The country is ruled by a king who is universally admired but who, probably mindful of events in nearby Nepal, is devolving executive authority to an elected council of ministers. There is real concern about development, education and health care. It must be remembered that serfdom was not abolished until 1950,and 85 % of the population still relies on subsistence agriculture.
Personally ,it was a real joy to experience a country where there are no McDonalds, and the ruler has stated that he is more interested in gross national happiness than gross national product.
How did I get there ? As a result of sending an e-mail in response to a request on the W.V.S. website from Marianne ,a French veterinarian,who ran a sanctuary for cats, monkeys and principally dogs just outside Thimphu. It was made clear that there would be no pay, no help with transport costs, but accommodation and a vehicle would be provided ,and it was a rare opportunity to visit a country which is only just opening up to tourism, and still only group travel is permitted. It was all rather seat of the pants stuff. I collected my visa at my hotel in Khatmandu, and my flight tickets from the departure desk. The flight from Khatmandu is arguably the most scenic in the world. The flight path is parallel to the Himalayas, and I flew on a cloudless day, affording breathtaking views. Even Mount Everest was cloud free.
The facilities at the sanctuary were basic. There was no gaseous anaesthesia, radiography, or laboratory facilities, and the drug armoury was limited. The monkeys, rescued from street performers, thankfully remained healthy, as did the cats, so all the veterinary work was canine. There was a network of observers in Thimphu, ranging from the owner of a small bar to the fiance of the Crown Prince who kept an eye on feral dogs in their area, contacting us when necessary. They sent in a steady stream of R.T.A., dermatological, venereal tumour, and enteritis cases. Any fractures were immobilised with good old plaster of Paris, most of the skin cases were caused by ectoparasites and bacterial infections, and the venereal tumours treated with I/V incrusting ,without the benefit of haematological monitoring, but results were excellent. The enteritis cases were treated mainly with fluids. Before being returned to Thimphu entire animals were speyed or neutered.
There were 60 to 70 long term residents, most fit and well, some in a sorry state and requiring daily attention from myself or the three”boys”.In my opinion some of these should have been euthanasia, and represented a real ethical dilemma.
The other sources of work were the expat community and the higher levels of Bhutanese society. As private practice is forbidden by law any work was followed by an invitation and sometimes a cash donation. Consequently I met many more people than the average tourist, joined the local bridge club, had dinner with the future Queen of Bhutan, and would have played golf, except there were no left-handed clubs in the country.
And the GSD puppy? The only drugs available was Diazepam which I administered per rectum, which to my surprise worked, and the animal made an uneventful recovery, which lead to another tea and dinner and a chance to meet more delightful Bhutanese, who invited me to there hotel in Paro to operate on the stray dogs living around the area. I had the luxury of being assisted by two government veterinary orderlies, one of whom claimed to have sterilised 54 dogs in a day. Goodness knows how, but his face was a picture as I snapped on operating gloves before the first procedure. In the afternoon the owner of the hotel, a cousin of the king, showed me round the hotel. He was extremely proud of its chapel with its unique paintings and artefacts from a visit of the Dalai Lama.As he showed me around he gently removed somnolent flies from windowsills and released them. Buddhism in action again.
In conclusion, I found the Bhutanese a wonderfully friendly people, intensely proud of their beautiful country and its culture, and aware that they have something special, which they are trying to preserve, while opening up to the wider world. I hope they succeed.
If you get a chance to visit Bhutan, grab it with both hands. How can one not be enchanted by a country that has created a national nature reserve for the yeti? No I did not see one, but the local version does have the ability to make itself invisible.
Alan Wynde
