Exploring the Environment of China 2011

Chong Al Wang Zu Veterinary Hospital, Beijing

by Jennifer Geisler

It has always been my passion to care for animals. This has driven me to pursue a future as a veterinarian. In my studies and experiences with veterinarians in the United States I have noticed certain trends and guidelines amongst this medical community. Armed with the knowledge that pet ownership is on the rise in China wondered what the standards of veterinary practice are and how they may differ from those set in the United States.

In the United States veterinarians usually undertake a basic education and earn a four year bachelors degree before applying to another four year program that focuses on veterinary medicine. This is highly competitive to enter and candidates at the completion will earn a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine As I spoke with the doctor at Chong Al Wang Zu Veterinary Hospital I found out many interesting facts about veterinary education, practices and policies. The doctor explained that in China to become a veterinarian one must complete a five year masters degree at an agricultural university. This degree allows them to practice as a veterinary doctor Part of the training focuses on conventional veterinary medicine and part uses Traditional Chinese Medicine as applied to veterinary medicine. With this degree graduates are qualified to practice on any sort of animal from snakes, to dogs, and horses. The doctor explained that in Beijing there are around 800 animal hospitals with 100,000 practicing veterinarians. This community of medical professionals meets three to five times a month and at a national conference annually. At these meetings they share experiences and practice techniques.

The doctor explained that most of the diseases that they encounter-in the Beijing area-are seasonal dealing mainly with the skin and fur. I also asked about immunizations, at this the doctor kept quoting the government standards of care and policies on communicable diseases one finds in pets (rabies, FIV, FeLV). Concerning rabies, the Chinese government's official policy is that there are no instances in mainland China. However, the doctor did say that they did find animals with rabies but the government put into action a swift task force in the area that it was found in to eradicate whatever other cases there may be. The other diseases seem to have the same narration that you will not find them in Beijing, however, if there is ever an instance swift action occurs to eradicate any infected individuals. The doctor attributes this low instance of disease to the fact that pet ownership is a newer phenomenon and the government put together an early set of standards concerning vaccinations that all owners are required to get annually. These include rabies, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and feline leukemia virus (FeLV).

Another interesting thing to note is that the Chong Al Wang Zu Veterinary Hospital has a set up that is very similar to other veterinary hospitals in Beijing. There is a functional office with a surgical sweet waiting room and office for the doctor and a few kennels for animals that are waiting to receive procedures. However, most typical "office" visits are done at the owner's home and do not require in hospital attention. The animal hospital also functions as a pet rescue and adoption center. Stray animals are brought in immunized and placed in homes. Animals do not stay long at the office and there are advantages to pet owners in pet care cost reduction if they choose to do this.

I was very impressed by the veterinary hospital, with the emergence of pet ownership, a very Western idea, they have incorporated many Chinese traditions and standards of care that Western countries are just beginning to utilize. The doctor seemed to be very knowledgeable and took pride in his accomplishments in surgery and animal care. The office was well staffed with 14 employees; five being women and seven interns, a large number that will hopefully meet the growing demand in China for Veterinary medical professionals.

When I first looked into joining this delegation to China I was unsure if there was going to be a niche for me as a student wishing to go to veterinary school, my focus working up to this point has been on shelter care and low-cost veterinary care. I had very specific idea about pet ownership and it was all based on the U.S. model. I had the crazy assumption that it is a Western phenomenon to own pets and incorporate them into your home and family. I know many owners in the U.S. that purchase pets from breeders or pet stores, or rescue them from shelters. Shelters being the worst of the worst, an internment camp for dogs, cats, and other small animals hoping for a home that will give them a warm bed and food in their belly. Where everyday you are confronted by a mad house of baying and meowing where future pet parents are to search the endless kennels for the animal that is right for them.

While the trend of pet ownership has increased dramatically in China there are not any rescue shelters, no stacking of kennels of animals who have been discarded and left. The Chinese have found a new way to find animals a home by adopting directly from veterinary clinicians.

While speaking to the doctor at the Chong Al Wang Zu Veterinary Hospital I learned of their intake method and differing placement procedures. When a stray animal is found in China citizens contact the local veterinarian. The animal is captured and brought to the veterinary clinic. Steps are taken to find owners if they exist and basic medical care is given. For cats if a home is not found they are assumed to be feral and they are vaccinated and neutered before being released back into the area. Dogs receive the same procedures, however, they are placed with a family. For mild tempered dogs there usually isn't any issue in finding them a home however some of the dogs they adopt out would be considered inadaptable in the United States because of their ‘wild' nature. In China the government has set up an incentive program, volunteers who wish to own a dog will receive a half price discount on any needed veterinary care, but if a volunteer cannot take the dog the veterinary hospital keeps them as hospital pets, a jolly gang of misfit animals that are very well trained by the doting staff at the hospital.

This method of pet placement put the humanity back into caring for an animal and it really left me wondering: Is the U.S. model right? Are we actually loving these creatures for who they are or are they just another disposable item to us, a testament to our own good will? We can take a great example from the Chinese in this sense to appreciate and care for the creatures around us because you never know when an ‘unwanted' animal will show more love and affection then you can possibly imagine.

Hand washing is one of the most important things we can do to prevent the spread of diseases. While this statement seems to be common knowledge it is surprising how few of us actually know how to properly wash our hands and how few wash with success. In our daily lives we come in contact with germs that can cause some terrible diseases, whether it's the forgotten sneeze into the hand before a handshake or a dirty dog we encounter and pet, we so often forget where we put our hands. The CDC states that proper hand washing requires: soap, water, and friction. They recommend that you sing the ‘happy birthday' song to make sure that the exercise lasts for the proper period of time for ample contaminant removal.

To show the benefits to proper hand washing I used a product called Glo Germ a synthetic resin that glows when acted upon by ultraviolet light. I applied Glo Germ to each of the participants and asked them to either wash their hands or use sanitizing wipes to wash their hands. To visualize the ‘germs' left over I used a portable UV light to interact and show the resin remaining. I used traditional hand washing techniques to act as a control to test and see if sanitizing wipes had the same effect to eradicate germs from the hands.

The experiment was repeated among four groups: the first and second groups washed their hands traditionally then were inspected for residue, then they washed their hands again to see if there was a dramatic change in reduction by repeating the wash, the third group initially washed their hands in the traditional manner then used wet wipes as their second wash, finally the fourth group used wet wipes as the initial wash then washed their hands traditionally for their second. Group one and two saw the lowest percentage of surface germs after the second wash on average these two groups saw a 1% germ residue. This was a reduction of about 70% from the first wash. Group three which utilized wet wipes as the second wash saw on average a residual 5% of germs remaining on their hands only a 20% reduction from the first wash. The final group that used wet wipes as the first wash saw very little reduction on the first wash with averages of germs remaining on the hands about 60%, however, after the second wash using soap and water participants saw the amount of germs remaining to be on average around 1%, the rate seen in the first two controls.

The Chinese students were really stunned by this experiment because, as they told me, many of them substitute hand wipes or sanitizers for traditional soap and water. Many of the students were amazed at the places germs ‘hide' on the skin surface: under nails, in between fingers, and in skin folds of the wrist. People who wore watches and hair bands on their wrists also were amazed to find that this was a ‘catching ground' for the ‘germs' to hide and that upon moving these items during inspection with the UV light these areas were untouched by hand washing.

I believe that the students as well as many of the other attendees were greatly affected by this lab and how in our daily lives we do not consider that thing we touch and do during the day say with us through out. I know that I myself have been in a rush and have foregone hand washing because I was in a rush. Since doing this lab however I have stopped that practice and make sure to wash my hands extremely well using soap and water and making sure to get into the troubled areas. I think the participants found it interesting and entertaining I know that they were all excited to be inspected with the UV light in search of remaining ‘germs'. I hope that they can take this idea back with them and integrate it into their daily lives that we need to be aware of what we do and how we do it because it can have direct implications on our health.