Some of you may know that I recently did a spay/neuter expedition to Baja, Mexico with Remote Area Medical (RAM), from April 15-22, 2004. I was looking for more surgical experience and the chance to travel during a free block of time in my clinics schedule. I contacted Stan Brock, who is the president of RAM, who put me in touch with Bruce Langlois. Bruce worked around my schedule, which had basically no flexibility, to make it possible for me to be a part of this expedition. We paid for our flights, but food and accomodations were provided. I brought camping gear and was prepared to camp, but the wonderful volunteers in Baja took great care of us.

This trip has left me with a desire to join RAM expeditions in the future. I went into this trip with the goal of being more comfortable in surgery, and I left with that and more. We spayed and neutered approximately 300 animals in six days, and I left with the feeling that I had made a difference in many animals' and peoples' lives.

If you don't like blood, beware, because many dogs were infected with Ehrlichia. This disease was very common down there and it causes clotting deficiencies, resulting in excessively bloody surgeries.

If you don't like guts, beware as well, because there are pictures of actual surgeries.