Dr Natalia Potapochkina - Russia
February 2008
An experienced surgeon, Dr Natalia Potapochkina attended The Mayhew International Veterinary Training Programme in February this year to learn advanced sterilisation techniques and the use of gas anaesthesia. She was interested in learning about the use of gas anaesthesia as she has occasional access to a gas anaesthesia machine in Moscow, and gas anaesthesia is much safer for the animals, allowing for quicker and more operations than anaesthesia by injection. While at The Mayhew, Dr Potapochkina and Chief Mayhew veterinary surgeon Gregor Riessen discussed the different anaesthesia and pain relief regimes and alternatives where gas anaesthesia is not available. She also learned new sterilisation techniques, including left flank spay for cats, a quicker method of cat castration, and most importantly techniques for early-age neutering (she spayed and neutered a litter of 8-wk old kittens). She dealt with rabbits and guinea pigs for the first time and also learned about canine/feline dentistry.
Dr Potapochkina has been sterilising dogs and cats in private apartment shelters in Moscow at the request of Mayhew International since December 2007. Please click here to read more about our Moscow Community Sterilisation Programme.