My compulsory community service year in Stellenbosch

by Andrea Lau

IIn my fifth undergraduate year of Veterinary Science studies, my class was posed with the task of selecting compulsory community service posts, of which one post would be randomly selected for us. Inundated with so many places, I set myself a goal – choose a post that would provide the best opportunities to grow my veterinary knowledge and skills. And boy, did the Western Cape Provincial Veterinary Laboratory (PVL) and Animal Welfare Society Stellenbosch (AWSS) help me with that!

There is hardly a boring day that goes by at the PVL or AWSS, as there are always interesting and thought-provoking cases that come in.

During these past few months, my knowledge on diagnostic sampling and testing, as well as disease pathophysiology has grown exponentially. Some of the basic things I have learnt include: freezing a body meant for post-mortem evaluation is every pathologist’s worst nightmare; how small a 1cm x 1cm x 1cm organ sample size should really be; how cases will always arrive late on a Friday afternoon, and how people tell a fib when they say the animal had died recently, while its abdomen looks like it had just come from a sushi buffet.

Cases have varied from hypertrophic cardiomyopathies in rats and neurological workups in cattle and dogs to (many) abortion cases, forensic cases and lastly, to realising that husbandry faults are one of the most concerning issues facing clients. I have been able to perform post-mortem evaluations on interesting animals – from small critters, such as rats and guinea pigs, to larger wildlife, such as sable, zebras and baboons.

The PVL has broadened my perspective on other laboratory work, including histopathology, bacteriology, virology and biochemistry. I could not have asked for a better team than my colleagues at the PVL. Whether it is knowledge, sweet treats or smiles, my colleagues are always willing to share. My supervisors, Drs Tasneem

Anthony and Jacob Stroebel, took me under their wing from day one and revealed tips and tricks that would save me hours of paperwork or time at the post-mortem hall.

To get my weekly dose of live animals, I work at AWSS. Here, I am faced with challenging but interesting medicine cases and a variety of surgical cases, including sterilisations and the occasional bleeder. The team at AWSS is equally generous with advice, wisdom and banter.

One of my achievements was being a contributor in organising a cat sterilisation day, where 44 cats were sterilised in four hours.

In addition, I assist in African horse sickness sentinel blood collection. These days are always something to look forward to, as they are filled with a full dose of horses, needle pricking, restaurant and activity recommendations and trying out new food.

Coming from another province, the Western Cape has truly been a breath of fresh air. To this day, it amazes me how one can travel from the beach to the mountain range in an hour or less. Stellenbosch is a place that prides itself on its history, culture, vibrancy and natural beauty. Surrounded by wine farms, the town is abuzz with hotels, wine shops, cafés, restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and museums.

For more information, contact Andrea Lau:

Just a few kilometres out of town, you are engulfed by grand mountains and their ranges, which offer outdoor activities for any mood of the day. From the canals that run through Dorp Street to the aesthetic night lights that make load shedding feel non-existent, Stellies has genuinely captured my heart. AP