After-School Program Turns Into A Pet Project

By Tanjua Damon

Buster should have an extra life added on to his nine lives for his good behavior during a demonstration by Dr Neal Warner from the Newtown Animal Clinic on how to give a cat a physical.

Newtown Youth Services organized the after-school program in which middle school students learned about the veterinarian profession and what the average day of a vet is like.

Buster, who was boarding at the clinic while his family was away, was a good feline as Dr Warner showed the students how a vet looks at their eyes, mouths, ears, and paws. The cat did get a bit fussy when Dr Warner wanted to show the students how a vet checks the abdomen of an animal.

Dr Warner told the students that most animals can clean themselves, but sometimes animals need some help from their human families to make sure everything is cleaned.

“Some of them take really good care of themselves,” Dr Warner said. “Sometimes you have to clean them every two to three weeks.”

Dr Warner spoke to the students about how important it is to feed pets proper food for animals, provide them clean water, and to brush their teeth and provide them proper medical care.

“Some of the bacteria can get into the bloodstream. It is really important to keep the teeth clean,” Dr Warner said. “We’re learning a lot more about dental care for animals.”

The students also tried on the equipment that has to be worn in the x-ray area. The aprons, gloves, and glasses have lead in them to protect from radiation.

Keeping surgery clothing sterile was most challenging for the students, who were able to try the attire on. The students found it difficult to not touch their heads or the cape before having the gloves on.

Dr Warner also went over some x-rays with the students. Many of them were good observers of what was happening in the x-rays from pregnancies to foreign objects to broken bones.

Michelle Kukla hopes to be a vet some day. Although she does not have any pets now, she finds them interesting.

“I want to be a vet when I grow up I think,” Michelle said. “I love animals even though I’m allergic to them. I like visiting the kennel, looking at the dogs and the cats.”

Will Brant is looking to go into zoology some day. He wanted to attend the after school program to see what a vet does each day.

“I wanted to see behind the scenes,” Will said, “because you don’t usually see that.”

Shayna Moliver liked everything about the visit with Dr Warner. Her love of animals made her decide to participate.

“I like animals,” she said. “Looking at the sterilized instruments was cool.”

Blake Barreto did not realize all the work that had to be done to sterilize the equipment and attire the vets have to wear.

“I didn’t know they had to dress in particular clothing,” Blake said, “and know all the right tools to use.”

Learning something new was incentive enough for  William Morgera to attend the after-school program.

“I like it all because it was interesting,” William said. “It is something different that I never knew before.”