Bee~ Journal of then...

[reinbeau]

My dog got sick, she had a digestive disorder, she was almost dead when I brought her to the vet, at the time she was seven - we figured out what was wrong, she was treated, and lived until she was 13 1/2. It cost me some money, but it was so worth it. When she was 13 I did bring her back, she was sick with cancer. No treatment, she was too old, and when she was uncomfortable (I knew when it was time) she went back for one last visit - and now is buried in my garden.

 

[Farmfresh]

We have had some pretty amazing veterinary miracles here as well.

We have an equine/ large animal vet we use, an exotics vet for some of the weird things we have raised - like raccoons, an our regular "special" guy that gets most of our business. Our "special" vet usually goes for the least invasive most homeopathic cures first. He was a trained medic (for people) and has had "extensive pathology training at Walter Reed Army Hospital while in the military". He is the BEST triage person I have ever met.

My daughter was trained as a vet tech under him. She was expected to be able to read pulse and respiration accurately with just her eyes and hands on an animal. Later she worked at an animal emergence clinic that had all the bells and whistles and she could come very close to matching the monitor machines in accuracy. He taught he SO much. And the first thing he taught is try to let the animal heal if possible, without a huge load of chemicals and operations. Some people don't like him because if it would be best to put your dog down he will tell them so, instead of building false hopes to make a buck.

Case in point. We had a cat that was attacked by our big dog (PMS - she was in heat and not to be trifled with!). The dog broke several of her ribs - punctured her lung and she was actually bubbling from trying to breathe her own blood. Most vets would have done surgery ... our "Special" vet Dr. Becker kept the cat slightly sedated for her comfort gave her a little steroid to help with the healing and kenneled her. Four days later she was home and doing fine. He kept telling us "lets just give her a chance and see what she can do to heal."

As for super fat pets - yes I see them all of the time. I am very frustrated by the fact that pets in this country are often more coddled and cared for than many of our children! They stick their kid in front of the TV or at daycare - the dog rides in the purse everywhere they go and gets doggy resort and playgroups - trips to the dog park and royal treatment at the groomer. Very frustrating!

 

[MorelCabin]

As for super fat pets - yes I see them all of the time. I am very frustrated by the fact that pets in this country are often more coddled and cared for than many of our children! They stick their kid in front of the TV or at daycare - the dog rides in the purse everywhere they go and gets doggy resort and playgroups - trips to the dog park and royal treatment at the groomer. Very frustrating!

Oh ya, that really burns me! We have a huge problem with pet idolization...it's sad!

 

[Beekissed]

My mom and I call it the Cult of the Animal and are constantly amazed at how much the focus has gone from compassion for humans to extreme and sometimes unreasonable compassion for animals.

I love animals as much as the next person and my heart melts at any suffering or mistreatment.....but one has to be rational about things. The other day my librarian, who is a big animal advocate, was practically bullying me into voting on a grant for the local animal shelter so that they can become a no-kill shelter. Didn't even ask me if I had any feelings about it....just push, push, push...and then very judgemental and amazed when I had to tell her my thoughts on it.

Not every animal can be saved, nor should they be. Overpopulation of dogs and cats is a big problem and I think no-kill shelters add to it. When people insist on letting litter after litter be born because they know they can always take those cute little ones to the shelter and they will "find a good home", I think this lets them off the hook and lets them have a clear conscience. If they knew it was certain those kittens and puppies would be killed immediately, they might....and I mean might, pause before allowing Bitsy to run the neighborhood each time she is in heat.

All the money collected to feed and care for all those animals could be better spent in aggressive neuter/spay programs that help people finance the operation. I know they have those now, but not nearly enough grant money is awarded for it.

I have two pound puppies, so I know the shelter is a good place for animals to be recycled, so to speak. But to never kill any animal and just let them build up and build up, to not eliminate the feral cats that abound in some cities and towns, to not put down the older and the extremely young overages in the kennels.....it sounds heartless, but its just a necessary thing. They are not babies or children, but animals that someone has carelessly created and discarded.

I cull my chicken flock when I have too many or some that are too old. Its necessary so that the others have plenty of food and space, so there won't be disease or illness. It should be the same for the domestic cat and dog population. Yes, humans are the culprits and the animals are innocent. I agree. But until you can publicly whip the repeat human offenders of careless breeding, its not gonna happen. Until then, there needs to be a fall back system in place. We used to have it when the shelters held animals for a certain period and then killed them humanely.

Sorry.....didn't mean to get up on a soapbox, but it is one of my pet peeves to see so much time and effort spent on something that has a simple solution and not nearly enough time spent on the many children of the world being raised poorly in foster care and orphanages....or just on the streets.

 

[Farmfresh]

Sadly as bad as orphanages (group homes) and foster care can be sometimes their own sweet homes can be just as bad or even worse. Children that are an inconvenience in their own homes. What is this world coming to?

 

[Beekissed]

Another busybody story:

The boys were working out in the yard the other day when a man in a silver truck stops in the middle of the highway....a very busy highway...backs the truck up......and hollers out the window:

"Where'd y'all get that cow? "

"Was yer momma raised on a farm?"

After getting whatever answers my son's could mumble, he drove off!



Another page in the hillbilly chronicles!

I found out the other day that one of my patient's takes a drive with her daughter every other day and always wants to drive past my house to see "what I'm up to" and to see "all those chickens and animals"! My house is 4 miles out of her usual territory......

I swear they are like children! No tact or guile....just up front nosiness, without shame or embarassment of any kind!

 

[jfarms]

I know what you mean Bee.. We live on a dirt road.. a busy one. and every time my husband goes in the cafe in town to eat there is someone in there to tell him.. Hey saw your wife in daughter working in the garden or walking them goats... gezzzz.... cant do nothing lol

 

[Beekissed]

In a way, its kind of funny and sweet because you know that they will notice if anything is wrong and help you.....but I'm kind of private with my home life and like to go around in work clothes and get dirty. I was raised a mile back from the hard road and with no neighbors within a mile.....its still hard to get used to being gawked at! :/

 

[justusnak]

I had to laugh, on the "busy body" comment. You see...the couple we bought our farm from, moved to Texas...we are in INdiana. So, when they moved, she asked if we could "keep in contact" Sure..they are nice enough. Well...last summer we had a pretty good storm, tore the corner of the barn roof up. We were waiting on better weather to get up there and repair it. A few days after the storm, we get a call from the FORMER owner(remember, she is in Texas) She said..." Heard the storm took up the corner of the barn, your gonna fix that soon right? Dont want water to get in there and start rotting the wood" HA! And when we had new gutters put on the house, she called again, asking who we had put the gutters on. Then a few weeks ago, I went to the local auction house. A lady that works at the PO called me over, patted a chair, told me to sit with her. So, she says..." I see you are putting a fence up around the old barn, whatcha gonna put in there?" Seems everyone is watching......Im not sure if its good or bad.. LOL

 

[freemotion]

Sometimes it is a compliment......sometimes not!