Prelude to As The Wool Turns

Soon the shenanigans from the greatest outdoor show on earth (or rather the greatest fun had in the ewe box) will be here. However, before that reporting is done, I must do ramblings from the vet world. I have been working in a small clinic the past few days as the owner went on a well deserved holiday. We as vets wait for that one case that we know will come every year. Mydriasis. Yes, sounds like a foreign disease doesn't it? Only thing foreign about it was the client who owned the patient. Maggots, yes, maggots. Little rice particles moving as fast as they can to the depths of dead tissue (anyone for Chinese food tonight?) A clip job done, and a little salt poured on the 16 year old dog, and he felt as good as new....gone is that tingling sensation.
Being a general practitioner, you see and do many things. Yesterday was a retained placenta in a mare (always a favorite - love those foals), a few spays, a few vaccinations, cows with sore eyes, horses that have wounds, cats that have hairballs...these are a few of my favorite things (you can break into song at anytime now).
Sometimes it isn't always glory...this morning was a sad morning...two (different owners) old horses had to be put down. The old grey mare, she ain't what she used to be. The owner surprised me, being very matter of fact about things. She said that was one of the better euthanasias done (which leads one to ask, what is an unsatisfactory outcome..the animal living?) However, the other euthanasia was much more emotional for all involved. Fred was over 30 years old, and his joints just couldn't do it any longer. His pasture mate - a 27 year- old Thoroughbred, couldn't understand why her friend was being led away, frantically calling him and racing up and down the fence line as several other horses munched on their hay. Fred passed away peacefully, and we let his surviving friend into the pasture. I truly believe animals have feelings, and it was proven this morning as that old gal came up and sniffed Fred, and then stood by his side quietly, ignoring the lush grass all around. And the humans cried.