As a veterinarian in the Northwest Territories, I mainly see dogs but also cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and birds. I once saw a turtle in Tuktoyaktuk. I remember the owner had brought her dog into a temporary clinic and asked us, “Do you guys see turtles too?” We said, “Of course.” She told us she’d go home and walk with her turtle back to us, but it was March or April—the ocean was still frozen—so we arranged a ride for her and her turtle. He was healthy, about three years old. We asked her what he ate, because produce is really expensive in the North. And she told us, “He eats lettuce, but he loves caribou.”
I run a mobile practice, making house calls in Yellowknife and the surrounding areas. I also do veterinary telemedicine consults for the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Telemedicine for animals in the south has grown during the pandemic, but it’s long been essential to many remote communities in the North. It can be hard for animals to receive care if their owners need to pay thousands of dollars for a flight to Yellowknife. But telemedicine is definitely more challenging for me—and can be for the owner too, because they may have to act as my assistant. On a video chat, I might ask them to feel their pet’s belly or lift their lip so I can see their gum colour. Or if their dog got bit and I need to look at the wound, then I might teach them how to clean it up and send them antibiotics.
