Just curious who else is living super frugal

[Beekissed]

I've heard that. This new generation of flock owners are going to have to learn new old ways to keep a flock healthy...and that's a good thing.

 

[lazy gardener]

But, it's not a good thing that the government is taking yet more control of the lives of farmers, and non-farmers alike. We're on a very slippery slope, I fear!

 

[Beekissed]

But, it's not a good thing that the government is taking yet more control of the lives of farmers, and non-farmers alike. We're on a very slippery slope, I fear!

That is true, for sure....first they taught farmers how to use meds all the time, then they want to take them away.

It is good, however, that the common lay person is not out there dosing their livestock willy nilly without a practicing knowledge of pharmacy. The overuse of antibiotics has created a problem in our health care system and in our food supply. It's always ironic to me that backyard poultry keepers are raising chickens because they "like to know what's in their food supply" but they will reach for the antibiotics as a first line of defense in the health of their own flock...and also give and sell eggs to other people who think those eggs and that meat are safe to consume because it's from a backyard flock.

 

[Arielle]

But, it's not a good thing that the government is taking yet more control of the lives of farmers, and non-farmers alike. We're on a very slippery slope, I fear!

Unfortunately the regulation is coming about because the commercial ag industry has abused having nearly unlimited access to antibiotics as feed addatives. Even in 1980 rumensin was regularly added to cattle feed to improve gain rates. Knowing what I know now, we have screwed ourselves royally. I like going with poultry because I use a hatchet to end most problems. Antibiotics are not necessary.


For the dogs, I tend to use a small animal clinic an hour away for basics, a long wait but worth the savings. The local vet for emergencies. $300-500 to clean up wounds from fighting with other cats. . . .obvious euthanasia ( old age complications) gets a careful examination that I must pay for called an "office visit" THEN add on the euthanasia itself. I wont be adopting any more cats in the future. TOO expensive.

I'll put my money on a dog-- more useful than a cat.

( LONG time ago I used to adopt feral and unwanted cats-- no regrets there.Wages have not kept pace with medical costs.)


@BEE-- keep teaching us the old ways!!!! ONe old method I found for myself was that tea really does kill athletes foot. REmarkably easy. ANd no antifungal to cause resistance issues.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:
Touche

Fortunately as a trained vet tech I can figure out the right med and right doses . . . .and in the end the ax is the best answer to most problems. Makes for a healthier flock in the long run. I stopped using lot of meds on my sheep flock a long time ago. ANd the horses . . .well kept horses dont need much.

 

[DennisK]

It is insulting what some of the vets are charging and how our love for these animals are used to extort unreasonable fees. Fortunately, pet supply shops in my area host folks who offer vaccines at a reasonable cost. Also, the humane society in my county offers spay and neuter services for a reasonable price. I paid close to $400 to neuter one of my dogs, and then I found the county's humane society's program and paid $180 to neuter the other. The $180 also included the first round of vaccines. The dog that was neutered by the vet had internal bleeding and had to be returned to be corrected. I had no problems with the $180 neutering. Check the internet for similar programs for your areas.
As far as medicating our larger animals, I see no reason why we can't manage our own vaccinations. Overuse of medications are practiced by vets more than animal owners – after all, the more they medicate, the more they charge, as apposed to owners where the more they medicate, the more they pay.

 

[perchie.girl]

Euthanaisia.... I had a vet shut me up in a room with a cat that was suffering terribly so I could say Good by... for a half an hour... Then he charged me for the euthanasia the disposal, handling fees.... and the office visit yata yata... three hundred bucks.

I too wont have cats again...

Took a goat to a horse vet who was interested in working with small livestock... he took good care of her gave her a shot of antibiotics pneumonia was working its way through the goat herds up on the mountain. Then he showed me how to give the booster shots and handed me the syringes and meds. And sent us home. I think he charged a hundred dollars which included an over night stay while he ran tests.

I would much rather deal with a horse vet. Ranch calls are expensive but I have had them meet me half way with a handful of colic meds and only charge me for the meds. A couple of tubes of Banamine a hundred bucks. One was for this episode the other to keep in my med kit. I have since found a feed store that sells both Banamine and Bute.

though since i read up on Banamine I prefer it for colic. Banamine will bring a temperature down also and helps relax an anxious horse.

Oh Bute is short for Phenobutizolidin... its an NSAID for pain relief in horses. an Anti inflammatory better for pains in the feet or from injuries. people can take it but it has a lot of cautions on it for human use.... gee just like Advil and Alieve... NSAIDS are NSAIDS... Bad on the gut and Kidneys good at pain relief.

deb

 

[Beekissed]

I love the old country vets...they are so crushed for time and are so thinly spread, that they will listen to the symptoms, announce what they think it is, give you a syringe of meds and tell you how to give it... just to get you out of the office. They don't charge an arm and a leg for putting an animal down...the meds for that aren't so costly that they need to charge a lot to make a profit~$20 to put down my old, old sweet dog. They also participate in spay and neuter programs much, much more cheaply....I got ol' Jake neutered as a pup for $15 and they also did a rabies shot. I really miss Dr. Joe.....

He went off to the big city to teach and left a lot of country folk cryin' behind him.

 

[gevshiba]

Euthanaisia.... I had a vet shut me up in a room with a cat that was suffering terribly so I could say Good by... for a half an hour... Then he charged me for the euthanasia the disposal, handling fees.... and the office visit yata yata... three hundred bucks.

I too wont have cats again...

Took a goat to a horse vet who was interested in working with small livestock... he took good care of her gave her a shot of antibiotics pneumonia was working its way through the goat herds up on the mountain. Then he showed me how to give the booster shots and handed me the syringes and meds. And sent us home. I think he charged a hundred dollars which included an over night stay while he ran tests.

I would much rather deal with a horse vet. Ranch calls are expensive but I have had them meet me half way with a handful of colic meds and only charge me for the meds. A couple of tubes of Banamine a hundred bucks. One was for this episode the other to keep in my med kit. I have since found a feed store that sells both Banamine and Bute.

though since i read up on Banamine I prefer it for colic. Banamine will bring a temperature down also and helps relax an anxious horse.

Oh Bute is short for Phenobutizolidin... its an NSAID for pain relief in horses. an Anti inflammatory better for pains in the feet or from injuries. people can take it but it has a lot of cautions on it for human use.... gee just like Advil and Alieve... NSAIDS are NSAIDS... Bad on the gut and Kidneys good at pain relief.

deb

It tastes horrible. Banamine tastes worse (it's not for human use, so don't try it). I worked on horse farms for many years.

 

[perchie.girl]

We are fortunate here there are alot of large animal vets... Lots of horses here... Not many cattle or sheep or goats some vets are realizing there is a need.

The one vet I went to with my little miss Dewdrop was one who set up shop in a big $$ community called Blossom Valley. He had a full on hospital going .... too many vets here only work out of their Trucks. Since she was easy to transport we took her to him. And ya know he could have charged big bucks but he didn't.

The other vet that met me half way which was thirty miles from me... Set up shop in that very community where she met me. She saw the need and was ready to open her own office.

Also Spay neuter clincs on wheels have regular stops throughout the county... They usually have helpers that if you show up and sign the clipboard will come and do shots and nail clipping. The last time I used them was for rabies and they had setup in a community park so you could sit in the grass and wait your turn.

deb