Animal welfare

Dubai-based laboratory does pioneering work in vet science


Every day is an adventure at the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) sprawled close to the Zabeel Stables in Dubai. The scientists find something new and different almost daily, researching and diagnosing diseases in animals as varied as the lion and the thoroughbred, the camel and the bee, the giraffe and the falcon.

"One animal brought me here and that is the camel," says Dr Ulrich Wernery, scientific director, CVRL, and a specialist in veterinary microbiology from Germany.

"I first had contact with the beautiful animal in Somalia in 1975. I was fascinated by the physiology of the animal and I said if ever I have the opportunity to work with camels, I'll take it. Twelve years later, I applied for this job and here I am."

The CVRL is the region's most important veterinary research and diagnostic centre. Fifty to 60 per cent of its work lies with camels, including ongoing research into the special benefits of camel milk.

"Dubai, and the UAE, has very valuable horses, camels and falcons, plus very valuable zoo animals such as gazelles and lions. Our job at the centre is to find out why an animal is sick or why it has died. Field veterinarians get us samples of blood, stools, skin, hair, milk as well as dead animals.

"The samples are directed to different departments. The results are ready in two-three days; a full report is then sent to the veterinarian," Dr Wernery explains.

The laboratory gets 350 blood samples a day and between 50 to 80 other samples. While its official working hours are 8.00am-4.00pm Saturday to Wednesday, there is always someone on duty "exactly like a hospital".

Founded by General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister, in 1985, the CVRL operates as a government diagnostic centre. It
co-operates directly with national and international veterinary services and plays an important regional role in the diagnosis, prevention, control and eradication of infectious animal diseases.

It has a 45-member, eight-nationality team including scientists, field veterinarians, technicians and administrative staff. Dr Ali Ridha is the administrative director of the laboratory. "Our most memorable moments are when Sheikh Mohammed himself comes to visit us," said Dr Wernery.

"When a valuable horse or falcon dies, he wants to see for himself the cause of the death. Sometimes he even helps us with the necropsy (animal autopsy). He is very interested in veterinary science and immediately understands what the problem is.

"He calls in his people and explains it to them so that they know how to prevent the disease in other animals. For us it is so important that someone above us supports us in our work."

The CVRL has made innovative scientific discoveries which have improved camel and falcon welfare. The vaccines developed include a breakthrough camelpox vaccine called Ducapox that is commercially produced in South Africa.

Camels are vaccinated at six and eight months for life-long immunity against the dreaded disease. The laboratory has also developed a vaccine against Newcastle disease in falcons, a falconpox vaccine and a falcon herpes virus vaccine.

Among the many conferences it has organised was an international equine conference in 1998.