Talk2the Vet Dr. Puna Kaurivi Kazapua – We bring all animal health tips to our farmers

Let me first take this opportunity to… New Age newspaper through its AgriToday segment for giving me the honor of being the face and voice of the “Talk to the Vet” column, a new addition to the agriculture pages.

The Talk to the Vet column consists of a series of veterinary articles published every Tuesday, focusing on livestock, health, production, nutrition and finance, among other topics.

As I welcome you all to this new and exciting column, I would also like to introduce myself and give a brief background on my career, and how I fell in love with animal health care and all things animal related.

I am Dr. Punandjambi ‘Puna’ Kazapua, a veterinarian by profession and currently in private practice at the Cattle Country Veterinary Clinic in Gobabis, Omaheke region.

I have always had a passion for animals, and since growing up on a farm surrounded by all kinds of animals, my love and passion for animals was further strengthened by my mother, Dr. Baby Kaurivi Katunohange.

In my early years, I assisted her (mom) during her various farm visits and surgeries, but during one of her regular hernia surgeries, everything changed when she asked me: “Why don’t you practice veterinary medicine as a profession, because you are always on the farm and you already helps me, but now you can get paid for your work – as opposed to just being here with me.”

So I decided to give it a try, and it turned out to be the best decision of my life. After seven years of study, I obtained my Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (Honours) from the University of Namibia (Unam) School of Veterinary Medicine at the Neudamm Campus.

I also worked as an animal veterinarian for N/a’ankusê Wildlife Sanctuary and Stepping Stone Vet Clinic before settling in our current practice in Gobabis.

Working in a mixed practice is so much fun because there is a lot of exposure to different conditions and types. So you are constantly challenged to find solutions to different problems, which means I have to read a lot, and that keeps me constantly on my toes.

I’m a big fan of hands-on work, and as a hands-on vet, the whole profession is an even more perfect environment for me; instead of being in an office setup. Another plus is that you always have the opportunity to communicate with people from all walks of life about various problems with their animals.

I also learn from lawyers, teachers, doctors, accountants, etc., as they are also my clients. My goal is to make a positive change in the lives of both my patients and the animal owners and that is a huge responsibility because every day that I am not fully focused could easily result in the loss of a person’s life animal or the client’s livelihood.

With this brief introduction and a little insight into what I do, join me here next week as we delve into our first detailed topic called “Animal Husbandry”, the most basic and important topic in animal production.

Also, feel free to suggest topics that you would like to discuss or discuss in detail here. Get in touch by sending your suggestions or questions to [email protected], or contact me at +264 817234553.