Baymule
Herd Master
You are not alone in your vet care quandary. My vet told me he didn't know much about sheep, I told him I didn't either, we'd just have to learn together.
CntryBoy777 - The Lazy A** Acres Adventures
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CntryBoy777
Herd Master
So much for the half inch of rain we were to get out of this passing storm, we got 1.8".....so, every hole is full of water. Guess I'll be waiting for it to absorb before setting them, and may be I won't have to touch up too many of them. 
One thing about the vet situation Bay, at least yours is Willing, the attitude here is not quite the same. One thing about me tho, I do have determination....and if I truly am the last resort for my animals, I will do my Best....that's all I can do.....and keep learning....but, if it takes antibiotics I guess I'll be burying them.
One thing about the vet situation Bay, at least yours is Willing, the attitude here is not quite the same. One thing about me tho, I do have determination....and if I truly am the last resort for my animals, I will do my Best....that's all I can do.....and keep learning....but, if it takes antibiotics I guess I'll be burying them.
Mike CHS
Herd Master
The more negatives I read about Vets the more I see how lucky we are to have an old fashioned farm visiting vet who isn't out to make a fortune on every animal they see.
Bruce
Herd Master
That's for sure!
We actually had this same discussion about a yr ago, but it has taken her this Long to "Absord It"....her terms...before it could be understood. She has always disagreed with "Reality" until it "Slaps" her in the face.
As you know, NONE of us want to face the reality of losing a parent. And as you and she are down to one, it is likely even harder. Give her a
from me I will ask though I am doubtful. However there is a vet that does camelids in Westford, next town south. Looks like about 12 miles and on a dirt road off another dirt road which explains why I've never see the place having driven that dirt road a number of times. I might take it there regardless of if my small animal vet (all of 3.5 miles, make the cats happy they don't like car rides
) would do it just to meet them and set up a working relationship in case I ever need them. Sure don't want to run into @AClark's "not a current customer so too bad" issue.
AClark
Loving the herd life
^Exactly, I wouldn't wish that on anyone having to watch their animal suffer and having to shoot it because you're not an "established customer". Never run into that in my life. I wish my hometown vet was still alive, she was amazing, and it never mattered if you were her customer, she'd drop what she was doing for an emergency regardless. I had a vet like that in NY too, really old guy only open half a day (he was in his 90's) but if you had an emergency, damned if he wouldn't go open his clinic and take care of it even if it was after hours. My dog had gotten a really nasty cut that needed stitches, I called and he wasn't open but said to bring her right in, stitched her up and didn't gouge me for it. The only thing you had to work around was that he was deaf as a post, which included a lot of conversations between us that went "what?" since I can't hear either lol.
Thinking on that, you know what I'd suggest? Find an OLD vet. Both of the vets I had the best experiences with have been older folks (Inez was in her 70's when I was a teenager, she passed away in a car crash) and have been very reasonable on price. Couldn't bring in a sick horse? She was there. Also, find the nearest emergency vet clinic to fall back on until you can find a vet that works for you, just for peace of mind and in case someone gets hurt before you do. That's what we've done. Think one of the biggest things I learned was that most vets, not all, are in it for the money and not the welfare of animals.
Thinking on that, you know what I'd suggest? Find an OLD vet. Both of the vets I had the best experiences with have been older folks (Inez was in her 70's when I was a teenager, she passed away in a car crash) and have been very reasonable on price. Couldn't bring in a sick horse? She was there. Also, find the nearest emergency vet clinic to fall back on until you can find a vet that works for you, just for peace of mind and in case someone gets hurt before you do. That's what we've done. Think one of the biggest things I learned was that most vets, not all, are in it for the money and not the welfare of animals.
Bruce
Herd Master
Good suggestions @AClark
Not sure if there IS an emergency vet for camelids up here.
"Large Animal Medical Associates is a veterinary practice dedicated to caring for horses, small ruminants and camelids in northwestern Vermont". Guess that is the place for one's goats as well and since they don't mention cattle I ASSUME there are plenty of vets covering that already and they don't.
I just browsed through their website some more, checked the staff listing. Looks like there are 3 vets at that location. It is a Large Animal business though I don't know if they are all camelid vets. Even if not I bet whoever is on call would call in the camelid vet if needed, not something one could do themselves.
The last listing didn't have a job title. Pretty funny, the "house" dogs are Yorkies! Is there anything canine LESS like a large animal??
Not sure if there IS an emergency vet for camelids up here.
"Large Animal Medical Associates is a veterinary practice dedicated to caring for horses, small ruminants and camelids in northwestern Vermont". Guess that is the place for one's goats as well and since they don't mention cattle I ASSUME there are plenty of vets covering that already and they don't.
I just browsed through their website some more, checked the staff listing. Looks like there are 3 vets at that location. It is a Large Animal business though I don't know if they are all camelid vets. Even if not I bet whoever is on call would call in the camelid vet if needed, not something one could do themselves.
The last listing didn't have a job title. Pretty funny, the "house" dogs are Yorkies! Is there anything canine LESS like a large animal??
AClark
Loving the herd life
That's kind of where I'm running into issues. Large animal vets here are usually tailored to cattle, since it's big business here. Equine specialists cost the big $$$$.
One thing I remember from when I was a kid. My parents had a friend up in SD or somewhere about there, took their horse to be gelded to their regular vet, who dealt mostly with goats. Vet missed a hernia doing the gelding, which is something common they have to look for, horse came out of it, stood up, and suffice it to say it wasn't a pretty sight. He ended up dying from it. Definitely better to find a vet that knows your specific species very well.
One thing I remember from when I was a kid. My parents had a friend up in SD or somewhere about there, took their horse to be gelded to their regular vet, who dealt mostly with goats. Vet missed a hernia doing the gelding, which is something common they have to look for, horse came out of it, stood up, and suffice it to say it wasn't a pretty sight. He ended up dying from it. Definitely better to find a vet that knows your specific species very well.
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CntryBoy777
Herd Master
Well I certainly wish I had the "Option or Choice", but the reality is that I don't....so, as soon as I can I'll be looking to take some classes and depending on the group here for direction. I just never thought in this day and time it would be such a "P1ss Poor" situation. I'm still bewildered about it. Just hope my animals continue to be healthy. I am going to be more proactive and get more than I have on hand, just in case.
NH homesteader
Herd Master
You can still get antibiotics over the counter. I'm not one to advocate for antibiotic use without a vet but if you have no choice, you have no choice.
We have a young vet who was trained by an old fashioned vet. The owner of the vet office is a goatie, so she defers to him if something is beyond her expertise.
We have a young vet who was trained by an old fashioned vet. The owner of the vet office is a goatie, so she defers to him if something is beyond her expertise.
Bruce
Herd Master
I hope she listens in so she learns what he knows
I thought there was a law passed that made it impossible to get antibiotics OTC. Or is that just SOME antibiotics? I remember reading a post somewhere saying you can still get them for fish at a pet store but I can't imagine how one would know how much to use on other animals nor if whatever is used on fish would deal with whatever your herd animal might have.
I thought there was a law passed that made it impossible to get antibiotics OTC. Or is that just SOME antibiotics? I remember reading a post somewhere saying you can still get them for fish at a pet store but I can't imagine how one would know how much to use on other animals nor if whatever is used on fish would deal with whatever your herd animal might have.
