[AT] Just another day at the office? (OT)

[Rick Cook]

This is probably a stupid question, but being an insulin dependant
diabetic, and having already experienced ketosis more often than I would
like, the absolute last thing I would want to put in my stomach is more
sugar.  I understand that the condition is brought on by the body's
cells not receiving enough sugar initially and then cannibalizing its
own protein cells for energy leading to the production of ketones and
the worst heartburn you can imagine.

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of
CBear81438 at aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2005 10:02 AM
To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
Subject: Re: [AT] Just another day at the office? (OT)

Just thought you all might be interested in a typical day here.  For
the 
tractor content, I use several antiques to bale hay for these sheep the
coyotes 
eat....  Anybody with sheep and has some suggestions, I am open to
anything.  
Still alive this morning, just no eating......
 
 
Well, the Saga continues as the old western used to say...   I  found my

largest ewe (150 + lbs), Minnie, named because she has tiny mouse ears,
laying in 
the barn with the 2 new mamas yesterday afternoon about 3 pm.   Since we
have 
had rain and drizzle the fields and pastures are mud.  The  poor girls
grunt 
with every step making their way around.  I 
 
So I jujst figured she decided to rest.  She did not look like she was  
trying to lamb yet.  Not going to be long.  I was working getting some
stuff 
straightened around with the other two, and was stepping over her and
generally  
within 6 inches of her and she never moved.  Even petted  her and she
did not 
move..  I just thought she was trusting me like a lot  of the others
do..  
 
Well I thought I better check on the girls about 10pm.  When I stepped
into 
the barn, it smelled like acetone.  Minnie was panting like a dog and
having 
trouble breathing.  I could hear gurgling.  First thought was  Ketosis,
as I 
hit myself in the back of the head, I should have seen this  coming.
Went thru 
this a year ago with the one who just had triplets, or  was it 2 years
ago?  
Ok, looks like bloat too.  Head over to the shop  refrig to find the
Propylene 
glycol.  No glycol.  RV  antifreeze????  Nope, it has rust inhibitors in
it, 
Darn.  Drank a  coke just to keep me going, it was bedtime....  Head to
the 
house for  reinforcements.  Ketosis is also called acidosis.  I knew the
lining  
of her stomach is really sore from the acidosis, and she has to have 
something  for the bloat.  
SO her is the "cocktail" I concocted from household kitdchen  cabinets.
 
About 15 Lactinex tablets to aid digestion.
About another 15 acidophilis pills to also aid degestion.
Some digestive enzyme from an herbal store.  
About 1/8 teaspoon of GREEN Palmolive liquid.
 
I use a mortar and pestle to grind the tablets, then mix in about 1/2
cup  of 
water with the soap.  The soap causes it all to dissolve and it is a
great 
surfactant for the frothy bloat.  Put this in a pint bottle  that came
in an 
e-bay buy of 50 irrigation syringe kits.  while I was in  the shop I got
2 of 
the kits out, nice and sterile....
 
Ok, that will take dcare of the bloat, now what for the ketosis.
Simple 
sugars is needed.  Perhaps Corn syrup??  None in the  cabinet.  Ahhhhhh!

Griffins Waffle syrup...  Tastes good going  down and coming up too....
When you 
extract the stomach tube, if there is  anything that will burn on it, it
burns 
all the way back.  Try Propylene  glycol sometime, it burns!.  It is
also the 
sweetner for DR. Pepper.   If I would have had a bottle of it I would
have used 
that... I poured about 1/2  cup of syrup in a coffee cup, added about
1/4 cup 
of water and nuked it for  about 30 sec.  Added some syrup to cool it a
little 
and add some thickener  so I had about a cup of syrup water that was
about 
body temp.  The old girl  did not need to drop her core temp due to a
treatment.
 
Got the 3/8 in 6 ft  vinyl tube that I have had hanging from one end,
(to 
straighten it out) and measured from the nose to the flank.  Made a
mark on the 
hose with a sharpie marker,  This ensures I get it in the  stomach and
not 
the lung, the end of the lung is about half this distance.   Since I had
to do 
all this myself, I have to be prepared ( yeah right, I forgot  the water

syringe, and had to hold the ewe, hose, and suck water from the
watering bucket 
into another syringe all at the same time).  Got Minnie  backed into a
corner, 
wrapped my left arm( the one with the torn tendon, ulner  nerve damage,
and the 
one that is going thru a nerve test tomorrow) around her  neck and held
her 
mouth with my left hand.  Started the tube from the right  side of the
mouth 
(passenger side, or curb side if you are an RVer) and headed  across the
tongue 
to the left side.  If you feel down the left side of the  throat, you
can feel 
the hose going down.  She had a bit of a cud in there  and after a
couple of 
tries, that came out.  She had held this for a long  time.  Another
indication 
of the bloat.   Started the hose down  as she is resisting and grinding
her 
teeth.  But as she chews, she also  swallows.  BINGO! hit the Gut!   MAN
Who Cut 
the Cheese???   That hose had some of the most foul smells eminating,
worse 
than the trip  past the waste treatment we make every day....About 10
seconds 
after hitting the jackpot, I am holding a smaller ewe by at  least 6
inches.  
Now she really feels like resisting.  However,  with 325 lbs on my side,
I am 
not easily moved.  Attach  the acidophilus etc syringe, empty, attach
the 
syrup, empty, fill  another syrup, empty, fill another acidophilus,
empty, refill 
a syringe with  water while holding, oh well I already told that one..  
empty.....
 
Inject a shot of B-12,  Wash out the syringes and tube.  Sit  down on a
5 
gallon redneck chair, and observe the patient.  Still alive,  breathing
(though 
rapidly), moving.   What I did will take about 2 to  6 hours to detect
any 
change.  She can rest without my help, and it is now  11:30pm  looks
like I got a 
breakfast date!!  
 
Back in the house, the wife asks if I had any problems, "Nope,
everything  
went according to plan".
 
This morning, she is breathing about 60/minute, and calm.  So, I made  a
trip 
to my vet supply and got a gallon of Propylene and gave her 120cc 2
times  
today.  Got a new bottle of b-12 also.  
 
As of 6pm, she is moving around and has walked qute a bit around the
lot,  
just has not ate anything yet.  She acts interested, just not  hungry...
 
In the morning we will know more.  The waiting is the worst  part.
 
I also got a sack of corn to feed all the pregnant ewes with to add some

concentrated nutrition to prevent Ketosis....
 
Maybe this will be interesting to some of you..
 
Cecil
Piedmont, OK

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