Monday, September 6, 2010

Busy Weekend

Saturday, I finished putting up the fencing only to have it shred in less than 30 minutes.  This net deer fencing that was all that with sprinkles was a waste of my time and money.  When I had mentioned what happened to the person that recommended the fencing because she used it with her goats said "Well your animals are weird."  She then clarifies "But I didn't use them to keep animals in.  I used it to keep them out."  She could have mentioned that part as she was making the all that recommendation.  Grrr. 

Anyway, I had finished the fencing and was going through the animals to see what we were dealing with.  I knew they had been fed and watered and pretty much nothing else for a year or more.  Breeding was "They're out there."  Lambing and kidding was not tracked.  There was no castrating.  So, along with them not being hands on cared for, they also had no real breeding program.

That being said, I also had to see who was milking, who was pregnant, and figure things out from there.  That was when I discovered (along with a lot of hoof rot since hooves had not been taken care of at all for a long time) that the matriarch goat has mastitis.  Great.  We've dealt with mastitis before in a goat and after, she was never the same.  She caught every illness that came along and would get the worse case possible.  Hopefully, that won't be the case here.  Aggressive treatment with milking every couple of hours along with Vit B shots and apple cider vinegar and lots of attention and tlc will hopefully pull her through. 

I hate milking mastitis.  It is gross.  Clumps and chunks of blood and puss and clots of milk come out and turns my stomach.  But, it needs to be done.  I won't be eating much during this, that's for sure.

In other news, we picked up a couple more 275 gallon tanks.  They were not cleaned and we are having a hard time getting the crud out of it.  We are having a debate at to whether or not the lower price is worth the aggravation.  It is taking work, but they are getting clean.  We are not going to go this route again.  We will get ones that have already been cleaned.

The lady who was bit by a brown recluse who was going to lose a hunk of her leg is doing excellent.  Activated charcoal mixed with water to make a runny paste slathered on and wrapped pulled out the toxins.  The red that was streaking up and down her leg is gone.  She no longer is afraid of losing some of her leg.  When she told her doctor about the activated charcoal, he says "That's new."  New?  NEW?  There is nothing new about using something to absorb toxins from the system rather than hacking off the body part.  When did doctors go from healers to butchers?

Ok, so not all doctors are eager to slice a person open, but it seems like more and more doctors are eager to cut and drug rather than heal.  I find it rather disturbing.  Well, I better stop before begin one of my rants.

5 comments:

amy said...

Where did you get your medical degree? I read many posts about how you claim you can assist if not do better than an educated MD.
I guess it will be needed when an accident or something tragic happens.
And WHY did you purchase a large herd of animals not knowing anything about them? How was that a good decision? You now have dogs with massive flea issues, goats that are ill, no real fencing and lack of any real funds to deal with the above issues. Having livestock requires money. Money right now, not at the end of the month when you get paid.
Irresponsible and just stupid does not come close to the choices you and your husband make.

Anonymous said...

Oh no!here we go again.

Mrs. Hoppes said...

Anonymous - No. I am not going to fall for the bait. If someone does not know basic science and chemistry or old time proven remedies about snake bite or spider bite poisoning, then that is their problem. If a person does not understand a rescue mission for a herd of animals and would rather see them continue to suffer where they were, then I feel sorry for them. And, since they are glazing over the fact that the animals are currently fenced in a rather large area and just in need of separation (male/female) and I do have other fencing (one area of which is now set up) then they are just choosing to live their own reality and blot out what actually is.

So, if "Amy" (not her real name) decides that we are irresponsible and stupid because we know basic snake/spider bite care, rescue animals from unintended neglect, and have fencing for said animals, then that is her choice.

And, I now need to go wash a scrape since Hannah just tripped and fell. We use soap and water. I know a person should have an MD to be able to understand and employ such measures of preventative care and a responsible person would rush to the ER or call the doctor over a scrape, but I am stupid and irresponsible and take care of my children myself. :p

Unknown said...

you inspire me Mrs. Hoppes
you are truly a strong independent woman and I believe we all have a lesson to learn from your hard work, knowledge, and dedication to others

♥'s books said...

I'm glad the lady with the bite is doing well. That would be scary. I've seen pics of the damage those spiders can do and it is not pretty.