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| Linden before hoof trimming. Linden at the thought of hoof trimming. |
Besides being a wonderfully decent and kind guy, my vet has the patience of Job. Linden has been lame for a while and I knew there was trouble afoot (pun intended). He is the sweetest wether you can meet. He loves it when I scritch behind his ears - will look adoringly (or so I think) into your eyes as you give him a nice scratchy-all-over. But try to get him to go where he doesn't want to go? Crazy Sheep!!!
My vet came out last evening because I knew he needed (desperately) his hooves trimmed - especially his left front - and I cannot make any headway on my own. So we manhandled him to the upper paddock and, after a lot of sweating and swearing (the swearing was all mine), we got him on his bum. But he is the most squirmiest, wiggliest, unaccommodating sheep I have ever met. It was a good thing I got the vet out when I did, as he did have hoof rot in that foot. He got a good trimming and I am spraying his hoof everyday with a 1:4 bleach/water solution.
This is another reason I love my vet. He does not dictate a long list of medications, return visits, and other costly measures. He starts with the easiest and simplest things. I am to spray the underside of his hoof every day for a couple of weeks; we will see how it looks; we will go from there. My vet has both a small animal practice and a large animal practice. He works all the time, at all hours of the day, and always has time to talk to you. While we were leaning on his car talking - he drives a tiny, fuel-efficient Suzuki - his phone rang and it was a woman who's dog had slipped on the ice and hurt his back. My vet jumped in his car and took off to meet her at the clinic, a half hour away. His parting words were, "don't worry - I'll have the office bill you. It won't be more than $60." I love my vet.
This morning I went down to the shed with my spray bottle, grabbed the little cuss' leg and spritzed away. Around and around in a circle. This sure adds some excitement to my otherwise boring life...
17 comments:
For your readers' entertainment (I'm thinking of myself, of course), I do so wish you had a bunch of trail cameras or nanny cams set up around your place to record all of the shenanigans that go on there. Hours and hours of smiles and belly laughs you could provide for us! Although your writing is so good that with just a little imagination, we get a pretty good picture of what goes on: " . . . grabbed the little cuss' leg and spritzed away. Around and around in a circle." You sure don't need to go to the gym with all the exercise you get at home!
Sheep....my old cowdog "Boo" always looked at them as hair brained and silly..not like cows! I never admitted to him I actually liked Sheep! Anyway a foot rot treatment I have used for years is called Kopertox. It lasts for years in its container if you don't use it all at once and it is also stickyish and stays on well. It does sting a bit.
Good luck with the treatment and are you thinking of an exercise video? "Sheep Fit"
good vets are wonderful to have...especially ones with good stories lol
And maybe you could start a workout video tape using farm impements and animals...
Mama Pea - Yes, I'll be getting my cardio-vascular workout daily. I doubt if he'll give in any time soon.
Fiona - No matter what, I love my sheep. And thanks for the source - I just ordered some. In this weather, it's tough keeping their feet dry. Make that impossible. I did notice that Linden and I were both panting after last night's escapades.
GWFW - That sounds darn exciting! And dangerous!
Wow! I wished we had vets like that around here! Keep him happy!!!!!
You DO have a good vet! I am most thankful to be married to mine, but he's not always very patient with my sheep….
SFG - I know - he got away before I could go in and get a dozen eggs for him! I will have to drop them off.
Michelle - Sheep can be very trying. Thank goodness they are also very loveable. I had my vet meet Scrappy - he said he was so happy to spend time with a healthy dog!
So many vets only do small animal practise. I suppose I can't blame them. House calls in the middle of winter to animals bigger and stronger than you must take its toll. Still I tend to think it is a happy and healthy life for those up for it.
Susan - That is what he said. That, even though there are a lot of very difficult moments, he loves the life. His philosphy is to be like the old fashioned family doctor - and that's the experience you get when you go into the clinic. He was so wonderful with Bernie.
Your vet truly sounds like a treasure! :)
Ditto on the love. I find myself gloating over the good fortune of finding a kind, skilful and reasonable vet for my furry friends. Thanks for the lively posts Susan, you've brightened a bleak and royally too long winter!
Someone should do a blog post/interview with their vet. It would be good to hear what they need from us animal folks as in handling and things? Just an idea that might make it easier to keep those good vets around!
Enjoyed reading your post. I agree with Candy he is a treasure.
Oh there is nothing like a good vet they are priceless, this I also have. Round and round never boring. Take care. Hug B
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