It's now Wed. April 14th and things certainly are looking much better to me. I went down into the barn Monday morning to let out all the sheep and noticed a black ewe laying down and she didn't get up when all the others went out! Uh,oh that's not good! I went over and got her up and turned her around to go out of the barn and she walked into the wall.......I looked at her eyes and they were all milky and I knew she was blind. I had to practically carry her to a stall and ran to the house and called the Vet. I described her symptoms to the Vet and he said it could possibly be Listeriosis!!!!!!! Holy macaroni, I was beyond devastated. There is not a good outcome if this was the case. He had me give her 5 c.c. penicillin, 5 c.c. dexamethazone and 4 c.c. of Vitamin B complex. The meds were given at 8:30 a.m. and Stephen arrived at about 2:30 p.m. As we went down the stairs, Stella was at least holding her head up. Stephen checked her all over and said it was a good sign that she had slightly improved and they she could walk in both directions(right and left). I then felt like a light bulb went off in my old, pathetic gray matter. "Oh yes, Stella was doing some very serious head butting on Friday" Could that be a possibility? Stephen felt on her head and there was an egg there,so that could be it. He had me switch to Thiamine 2 c.c. four times a day, penicillin twice a day and one more dose of he dexamethazone on Wed. YIPPEEEE!
Today she came outside with me, walking all around looking for some of her sheep friends, talking up a storm and doing SO MUCH BETTER! I feel so relieved and certainly could do a happy fiber dance "Woolly, I could". When my sheep are hurt or sick, I'm a total mess and then so relieved when they are better. Life certainly is never dull on a farm.
I have been making up a schedule for fiber workshops here at the farm. I will add them to our Website when the details are finalized. I can't wait to do Cheryl Flett's Wet Felting class on May 2,2010 its from 12:30 to 4 p.m. and will be such fun! She is a super teacher and a very funny person. I guess I had better shut down the computer and go get some work done. So-long from Maybelle MaMa.