Samba was lethargic and losing weight, struggling to carry water to communities that depend on his work.
Every day, Samba the horse begins his work before dawn, pulling carts of fresh water to households across the desert town of Boghé, Mauritania. He works for four to five hours a day alongside his young owner Mohamed, providing a lifeline to the community and livestock here who depend on this water for their very survival. Samba also serves as his family’s only source of transportation to market, school and hospital. Without the work of animals like Samba, life would grind to a halt for hundreds of thousands of people across the world.
So when Samba began losing weight and struggling to breathe, Mohamed was beside himself with worry. Luckily, a SPANA centre has recently opened in the area, providing critical emergency care throughout lockdown.
On the day of the clinic, Samba and Mohamed were waiting before the doors opened.SPANA vets listened to Samba’s lungs and took his temperature to determine whether the horse was struggling from a flu or respiratory illness. As Samba was running a temperature, the team opted to put him on a course of antibiotics and administered antiparasitic treatment to deal with the intestinal worms which were causing his weight loss.
Mohamed was given advice on how to keep Samba’s environment clean and dry to prevent future illness. Vets also gave Samba extra bags of emergency feed to help with his weight gain and help get Mohamed through his difficult financial situation. Covid-19 has meant that owners everywhere are struggling to make enough money to support their animals and families.
A few days later, Samba is already putting on weight and breathing easier. Although he’ll need some time to rest and recover at home, with SPANA’s expert care Samba is expected to recover to full health. This veterinary support is so important for animals like Samba who serve as key workers for some of the most vulnerable communities in the world. Thanks to your continued support, we can ensure that Samba’s critically important work is comfortable and pain-free.
