Last week, Dr. Reshad – our Chief Vet at our Animal Hospital - received a call. A formal request for help had come in from the Animal Health Directorate (AHD) in Kabul.
There was a young horse in Takhar Province, suffering from a severe joint issue and in terrible pain. It had been seen by several local vets, but without a clear diagnosis, it wasn't responding to treatment. Because our Equine Clinic on wheels currently operates the only mobile X-ray facility available in Afghanistan, we were the horse's best — and only — hope for a proper recovery.
So Dr. Reshad and his team headed straight out on the 24-hour long road trip to Takhar, to get the x-rays done and get the horse diagnosed.
It’s never as simple as that though! To reach Takhar, our team had to navigate one of the most challenging routes in the world. The journey requires crossing the Hindu Kush mountains via the Salang Pass. At over 3,400 meters, the team battled thin air and the notorious Salang Tunnel — a dark, narrow passage often choked with dust and exhaust.
The terrain is brutal too. The roads transition from the steep mountain passes to unpaved, and pretty bone-jarring sections in the northern plains.
But our team made it! There and back. And – the best thing? We were able to pinpoint the exact nature of the fracture, and we’re so happy to say that this resilient horse is finally on the road to recovery!