Dr. Victor Urbiola Montes de Oca is the Director of RVETS México and a popular teacher of veterinary students. He practices large animal medicine and surgery from his home ranch in Tolimán, Querétero State. Victor graduated from University of Guanajuato, School of Veterinary Medicine in 2014, and did an internship in surgery and anesthesia at the American Fonduk, Fez, Morocco, in 2018. Victor travels to the USA to help with surgery clinics on a variety of donkey and horse rescues, and Indian Reservations as part of Rural Veterinary Experience Teaching and Service (RVETS) in California, Arizona, Texas, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nevada. The team of veterinarians that he has trained in RVETS México, provide regular clinics for horses, donkeys, mules, livestock, and small animals in the Sierra Gorda Bioreserve, with students coming from all over México, as well as the University of California, Davis to learn and get “hands on” training in rural medicine and surgery. With thousands of routine and complicated surgeries in his past, Victor’s experience with high volume castration clinics is unique. Known for his ability to teach and organize, he will be providing a detailed discussion of the planning, techniques, outcomes, and potential complications of castration at donkey sanctuaries and rescues. This procedure, the most common surgery in the donkey population, is often approached with trepidation by owners and veterinarians alike. With proper
planning, recognition of the donkey’s unique behavior, and following the principles of good surgery, there is no reason why jacks cannot be gelded safely and efficiently.