Survival of the fittest
Well, as you can see, I have survived two days without Dutch and Lauren. I even made it through yesterday when the most worrisome person on Earth, Marsha (another barn worker) flipped out and called the vet because the new mother wasn't eating. Granted, she should have a voracious appetite... but I've been checking her constantly. She shows no sign of colic and her temperature is normal and has BEEN normal all day. She's not eating because she's so stressed out and worried about that new baby. When the vet called back, she spoke with me and we both agreed that it was most likely the new mom jitters and that only if her temperature spiked or she appeared uncomfortable should we call the vet again. So yeah... Marsha stressed me out all day yesterday. From "Dollar and Bobbie are coughing, so the hay must be moldy!!!" to "Rocky is lying down in his stall, and that makes me worry!!" Dear Lord woman. I mean, it's okay to be concerned, but unless you REALLY have a basis for screaming my name throughout the barn and worrying me to DEATH, then keep them all to yourself until something else happens to support your "The world is against Highlife Farms" theory. **sigh** So yeah, Mom and the new baby are doing fine and I've been checking on them constantly to make sure everything was alright. I've watched Mom's food intake and checked her temperature and I've made sure to note that baby could get up and down on her own and nursed. However, I did notice some milk coming out of her nose when she suckled a few times yesterday (this can be a sign of a birth defect called a cleft palate and requires surgery to prevent aspiration of milk or food) so I CALLED THE VET AGAIN. Dr. Jones said that when she did the foal's initial checkup she checked the hard palate (though she couldn't reach the soft) and watched her nurse. It seems like it's not every time that she nurses, so we're assuming that baby is just eating SO MUCH at once that she's not swallowing correctly and it's coming out. So whatever. We worried the poor vet to death yesterday. But I survived! And so did all of the horses!! I even had a chance for a nap before Marsha came and woke me, saying that the mare wasn't eating her lunch. **sigh** Oh well... I guess the world needs people that worry like that every once in awhile.
Anyway... I'm off to see what else I can do this dreary, rainy, nasty morning. I hate it that after I finish doing all the meds and stuff I can't really do much of anything because of the rain. I think I'll organize the supply closet.
Anyway... I'm off to see what else I can do this dreary, rainy, nasty morning. I hate it that after I finish doing all the meds and stuff I can't really do much of anything because of the rain. I think I'll organize the supply closet.