That's such a simple statement, but it encapsulates what we like about living out here in this less populated county. My husband had noticed that Emma-the-goat's eye was tearing, and then yesterday morning, she was having trouble opening it. So he called our local vet. He's a small animal vet, and we've seen him one time, for the cat.
My husband described the problem, and the vet said that he would come out to our place after he closed for the day. A house call. Wow.
He came out and was just the nicest man. We held Emma while he looked at her eye. We had been worried about how hard it might be to hold her, but she was her usual sweet self. I straddled her and held her under the chin, and my husband held her by the horns. She hardly struggled, but she and Arlene kept up a constant low-level exchange of "maas." It was obviously a form of communication, and made me want to read up more on how goats communicate.
Afterwards, the vet stayed for a beer, and we talked about life in the country, and life in general. We really enjoyed it.
In our previous life, I can't imagine a vet coming to the house, and then I can't imagine him or her being more than just business-like.
Did I mention that it was his birthday? Again, wow.
Posts
It sounds like you have an exceptional vet! Our small animal vets would never make a farm call, and the only large animal vet over in the next county is strictly a horse vet. If (correction: when) one of our other large animals becomes ill, we are largely on our own trying to treat it with nonprescription remedies. So did the goat have a corneal abrasion?
ReplyDeleteOh and in answer to how goats communicate? Just like humans in this neck of the woods.... by butting heads.
Thanks for your comment! I think he is an exceptional vet, though my husband called another vet also who was about 30 minutes farther away, and she would have come too if he couldn't have. (She said that eye problems are emergencies, since animals can go blind quickly.)
ReplyDeleteHe said he saw a scar on the retina, and that there was some conjunctivitis. He gave us some ointment to put on twice a day, which is going to be a challenge.
We had the one goat first, then the other goat, who was previously a herdmate of hers, came, and when they first saw each other again, they leapt into the air, butted heads, and then went off to graze. They don't butt heads that often now, but they do 'talk' to each other when they're separated.
By the way, "Old Gray Egg," I followed your link to your blog, and really enjoyed it! I've added it to my list that I'm following.
ReplyDelete