News

Army Veterinary Services clinic keeps check on animals to keep people healthy

  • Published
  • By Holly L. Birchfield
  • 78th ABW/PA
The Army Veterinary Services Animal Treatment Clinic at Robins isn't like the average veterinary hospital.

Capt. Barbara Cloutier, officer in charge of the Fort Benning Branch of the U.S. Army Veterinary Services which includes Robins, Fort Benning, Ga.; Albany Marine Corps Base; Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.; and Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala., said the clinic's clientele is one of the defining things that sets them apart.

"There's something special about our clinic," she said. "We are not a full-service clinic for privately-owned animals. We are (here) for the military working dogs. Our main goal is to do preventative care for those diseases and communicable things that can affect human beings."

Those diseases include but are not limited to ringworm, scabies, leptosporosis and Rabies.

Capt. Cloutier, who has been with the U.S. Army Veterinary Services' Fort Benning Branch since October 2004 with only a four-month break in service, said the clinic has a twofold benefit.

When they're not ensuring the military canines are mission-ready, the self-supporting, non-profit clinic's three-person staff is available for giving dogs and cats of active-duty military and retired military members vaccinations, heartworm tests, and fecal checks to keep pets in the military community healthy which in turn helps keep Airmen and their families healthier. The clinic's staff, including Dan Miller, a civilian veterinarian, sees patients every 10 minutes three days per week, during its hours of operation. These visits are by appointment only.

The captain said while looking out for pets in the military community, the clinic staff is also looking out for servicemembers' health as well.

Because terrorists sometimes use animal-based diseases as biological, chemical, and radiological warfare methods, the clinic's staff keeps a close watch on military member's pets that come to the clinic to minimize the risk of a problem arising.

Captain Cloutier said since animal-based diseases can be used as a terrorist's weapon, the clinic encourages customers to protect their pets.

"That's one of the reasons we push for flea control so strongly," she said. "One of the suspected diseases that they expect (terrorists) to use would be Bubonic Plague, which is spread by the flea."

The U.S. Army Veterinary Services is the Department of Defense executive agency for veterinary services.

The clinic, which is located in Bldg. 703, primarily provides full medical, dental, surgical and preventative care to canines assigned to the 78th Security Forces Squadron's Military Working Dog Section at the base.

"It's actually a privilege, not a right," she said. "(The clinic) is primarily in existence for the training of our veterinary personnel. Our primary mission is military working dogs, the full-service surgical, medical, emergency care for the military working dogs."

Jennifer Dickerson, a registered veterinary technician at Robins' animal treatment clinic, said while the clinic's extent of treatment is limited, the level of the care it does provide is top notch.

"We're basically a shot clinic," she said. "The doctor will see some skin problems, eye problems, and ear problems."

Captain Cloutier said the clinic doesn't treat privately-owned pets that have long-term conditions like diabetes and other such diseases.

For those things that fall outside the clinic's realm of treatment, Mrs. Dickerson said customers are encouraged to seek help elsewhere.

"If the clinic is able to treat the animal, they will," she said. "If it's something we can't treat, we'll send them to an off-base vet of their choice."