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Show r if r iJ - jr ... s 3. w August 23. 2001 B Animal tales Army, civilian Photos by Mary Gaibraith Army Capt. (Dr.) Dawn Fambro spays a cat at veterinarians operate Hill clinic tht baaa clinic, below. Fambro examines Koot-ao- a with the help of his handler Officer Paul Stanton, left, from the Salt Lake City Department of Airports Police Department. Fambro Is responsible for medical for military, Department of Defense and FA A working dogs In the state. by Mary Galbralth Hilltop Times staff At times a hectic, varied schedule can make it seem like it's raining cats and dogs for Hill's veterinarian, Army Capt (Dr.) Dawn Fambro. Fambro is responsible for everything from military working dogs to ensuring MREs are safe, and not just at Hill The captain's the base's gates. Fambro said responsibilities extend understand the don't primary mission of Army vetmany people erinarians. "As a military veterinarian, I have two missions. My first mission is a food mission and my second is medicine," she said. "Sometimes clients call and ask why the doctor isn't here because they don't understand our mission. I am the veterinary in charge of the entire state of Utah and Western Wyoming, which is huge space." Under the food mission Fambro is responsible for five military installations: Hill AFB, Fort Douglas, Dugway Proving Ground, Tooele Army Depot and Camp Williams. Sheconducts commercial audits and makes sure commissary food is purchased from an approved source. She also inspects Meals Ready to Eat, Operational Rations, UGRs, eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables for Utah's National Guard. She works closely with the base's Air Force Public Health Office. "Basically anything the government as a whole is going to purchase has to be inspected by an Army veterinarian ... You don't want soldiers getting sick," she said. Her medicine mission includes Hill, Dugway and Tooele. Besides seeing patients on base, Fambro runs clinics at Dugway and Tooele. Although it's a hectic job, she enjoys the variety. "I like the diversity. It offers opportunities you don't have open to you in the civilian world," Fambro said. "It opens up possibilities that you never knew existed and I'm the type of person that likes to learn new things." Fambro said set hours are another advantage. Civilian veterinarians often work at least 60 hours a week, but in the military her hours are somewhat consistent, she said. No overhead costs are another military benefit Fambro " """ enjoys. "I'm able to do medicine for the enjoyment of it," she said. The primary reason an Army veterinarian is stationed at Hill is to closely monitor the military working dogs, Fambro said. There are eight dogs at Hill and Fambro is on call to treat the animals around the clock in case of an emergency. The base facility has full surgical, radiological, ultrasound and dental capabilities to care for II (I well-beyon- d DoD dogs including military workn ing dogs and the four Federal . Avi-atio- f I'-D- y v. V J Ti fpfi''4' Veterinary Clinic hours and fees i "y ' ' ' h t "f The Hill Veterinary Clinic is open week0 p.m. Evening and Satdays 7:30 urday appointments are available on a limited basis. To schedule an appointThere is no charge ment call Ext for office visits, however there is a test and vaccination fee. Services available include: 't a.m.-4:3- privately owned animals two days a week to help keep appointments timely. Terri Stearman, a certified veterinary technician, is also available to answer questions. Fambro said the clinic routinely administers vaccines and thorm micro-chippin- ty Fambro graduated from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in May 1999. She's worked with animals ranging from horses to dolphins. She started her veterinary career in 1985 during high school when she worked at a local clinic. Her emphasis is small animal medicine (dogs and cats), in addition to domestic exotic animals like rabbits, snakes, birds and ferrets. Specialist Megan Sheldon, who often administers clinic vaccinations and meets with patients, earned degrees in biology and chemistry, worked in an animal emergency treatment facility, at the North Carolina's State Zoo and with marine mammals in Hawaii before she joined the Army. Although some veterinary services are not available at the base clinic, Fambro and Sheldon are proactively stressing preventive medicine to help avoid the need for those services. One concern is zoonotic diseases those that can be transmitted between animals and humans. "There are certain parasites that dogs, cats, horses and cows carry that can be contracted and spread to humans, so we do a lot of basic client education on parasites," Fambro said. COPY t A Administration dogs that work at the Salt Lake City airport Army regulations require veterinary treatment facilities maintain only a 2 percent annual clinic profit They also prohibit charges for office calls, so care is available for animals whose owners may not otherwise be able to afford it. Because Fambro's job responsibilities often take her away from the Hill office, Dr. Lisa Heist a civilian veterinarian, sees ough physical examines. Heart-worand feline leukemia tests g seras well as vices are also available. While the facility has the means to conduct surgeries and other complicated veterinary procedures, it does not have tie manpower or funding so most privately-owne- d animals who require advanced treatment are referred to local veterinarians. 11 X Fecal Flotation Canine Heartworm Test Feline Heartworm Test Feline Leukemia Immunodeficiency Virus Health Certificate .$6 Microchip Canine and Feline Rabies Vaccination Bordatella ("kennel cough") Feline Distemper Vaccine Feline Leukemia Vaccine Canine Distemper Parvo Vaccine $18 Jack Pevey and his mix, Sid, wait in the clinic lobby. $15 $18 $20 Free $7 . . . .$8 $7 $10 ' $14 tW Schnauzer ,f Active-dut- y military members, Reservists and military retirees can have their pets examined at the clinic at no charge. Heartworm is another leading concern. The disease is contracted by mosquito bites and can be prevented with monthly medication. There are unique factors when dealing with military members' animals. "On a military installation the risk is that people are traveling all the world with their animals possibly being exposed to diseases in one part of the region or the world that doesn't exist in a second, so animals have the potential of bringing something into a new state," Fambro said. Because of exposure to different diseases, Fambro tracks the former and future family duty stations. Most states and countries require health certificates. The clinic encourages pet owners to contact them as soon as possible, because different states and countries have different requirements. "Once we give them the health certificate if s only good for 10 days so some people need to work that into their travel plans," Sheldon said. Specialist Megan Sheldon examines German shorthaired Pointer's first vet visit. . ...-- " Sasha's teeth on the e residents must register their dogs and cats. Horses housed in the Hill stables must be quarantined five days upon arrival and have current vaccinations. Fambro said if s also imporOn-bas- tant to contact the stable president and her office before the horse is brought on base. "If anyone is interested in opening a home day care on base, they also have to come through us if they have animals," Sheldon said. Sheldon said before they give an animal a clearance certificate, vaccinations must be current the animal must be dewormed on a regular basis and the pef s temperament is monitored. When owners bring their pets to the clinic, the animals must be restrained. Cats must be in carriers and dogs must be on a leash, otherwise one will be provided to the animal at the owner's cost Fambro and Sheldon said that's for the safety of all the animals and owners. For details on the veterinary services available on base or to schedule an appointment, call Ext |