Animals, just like humans, sometimes get sick. This little guy is an orphan. We don't know what happened to his mother, but one day she seemed perfectly healthy and the next day she was gone. This young (about 6 week old) bull calf was "stealing" milk from the other cows that had calves at their side and had started eating grass. We watched him closely for a few days and he seemed to be doing okay, but then on Monday of this week I spotted him off by himself and showing signs of respiratory distress. I immediately got out of the pickup and herded him to the corrals on foot. The fact that I could do so was an indicator that he didn't feel well.
We began to treat him for the respiratory problem and to hand feed him. He was going downhill, so on Wednesday we took him to the Veterinarian. She has access to more powerful tools than we do and by Wednesday evening he was feeling much better. The photo is from late yesterday when he nearly knocked me down to get the bottle. It was gratifying to see that he seemed to feel much better and signs of the respiratory issue were gone.
Unlike humans, animals are unable to ask for help when they are in distress. In fact, animals such as cattle are naturally wary of giving any indication that they don't feel well because they are naturally prey animals. It is the sick and distressed that are usually first to fall to predators. I have observed sick cattle "put on an act" of feeling well and "pretending" to eat in order to appear healthy. Sometimes it is very difficult to spot a health problem until the animal is extremely sick and difficult to heal.
As I have mentioned before in this blog, we feel a deep responsibility to the animals within our care. We monitor them daily in order to make certain they have adequate food and water and that they are healthy. Occasionally, something will happen to one of them that is inexplicable -- such as the loss of this calf's mother -- but, for the most part, we are able to catch any problems early and to deal with them expeditiously. It is important that we have the tools to do so in order to prevent undue suffering.
The movement to ban the use of antibiotics in livestock production is one that threatens our ability to deal with issues, such as the respiratory problems this calf had, in a timely fashion. The medicines with which he was treated will be completely metabolized and gone from his system within a matter of a few short weeks. The labels include withdrawal times and dosages which we record and keep, along with other information about the event, in a file if an animal must be treated. Hopefully, this calf will be able to go on and live out a normal, healthy life in which he will thrive until he fulfills his ultimate purpose of providing nutritious protein for human consumption.
As I think about it, I realize that the inability to ask for help sometimes applies to humans as well. In us, it isn't so much that we are incapable, it is that our pride or, our personality make it extremely difficult. We also are influenced by the way in which we were raised -- especially in rural America where independence and self-reliance are deeply rooted in the culture. For some reason this morning, I feel it is important to say that it is okay to ask for help. Don't be like the calf in the photo who would have died in his loneliness had I not observed his condition and intervened. If you need help, ask for it. Ask friends, neighbors, family, or one of the many organizations that are out there for help. There are good people who will be there for you if they know you need it.
Just my thoughts this morning....
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