Common Sense-less
I'm sure you have heard the comment that common sense is all too uncommon.
It, likewise, escapes me more often than is preferred.
Trying to pull a slippery dog tongue forward to intubate them for anesthesia... makes a lot of sense to use gauze to provide traction, and this is how I always used to do it. However, since I started working here I have fallen out of the habit because most other people don't do this, and most of the time it is rather unnecessary. And then I forget it when it would be beneficial.
Today I did the Buhner tape purse-string technique on a pregnant cow who had had (prior to the trailer ride) a vaginal prolapse. To safely and effectively perform this simple operation, it is beneficial to first 1) have the cow in a squeeze chute; 2) sedate the cow, but keep her standing; 3) do a caudal epidural to numb the tail, perineum, and pushing muscles that try to thwart the prolapse-reducing efforts.
We employed all of these techniques, I got the cow stitched up, and it was time to get her into the trailer. She wasn't having it, so we utilized tail twisting, pushing, rocking, vocalizing... and finally the hot-shot in mild to moderate amounts. She was part-way in, or at least up the ramp, and the owners had her neck tied and secured around part of the trailer. So I was kindly giving gingerly little zaps, and it wasn't doing much. Her owner advises to increase the juice... so I do... not a lot, but it was enough to make her mad.
And did she go into the trailer? Oh, no.
And did I get kicked? Oh, yes.
Cow-kicking. It's a special variety of the defense skill, and I had apparently forgotten (for this practical setting, that is) the ability of cows to kick so far to the side. Perhaps I should have zapped and immediately stepped back. Or decreased the duration of the zap. Or who knows what. But I was a little too close. Common sense. All too uncommon.
And now I have a nice curvy little red half-circle on my left hand and a swollen distal 4th digit on my right hand. Which indicates that I was holding onto the hot-shot with two hands, and that makes little sense. Llama bite, dog bite, cow kick -- at this rate I will have arthritis when I am barely middle-aged.
It, likewise, escapes me more often than is preferred.
Trying to pull a slippery dog tongue forward to intubate them for anesthesia... makes a lot of sense to use gauze to provide traction, and this is how I always used to do it. However, since I started working here I have fallen out of the habit because most other people don't do this, and most of the time it is rather unnecessary. And then I forget it when it would be beneficial.
Today I did the Buhner tape purse-string technique on a pregnant cow who had had (prior to the trailer ride) a vaginal prolapse. To safely and effectively perform this simple operation, it is beneficial to first 1) have the cow in a squeeze chute; 2) sedate the cow, but keep her standing; 3) do a caudal epidural to numb the tail, perineum, and pushing muscles that try to thwart the prolapse-reducing efforts.
We employed all of these techniques, I got the cow stitched up, and it was time to get her into the trailer. She wasn't having it, so we utilized tail twisting, pushing, rocking, vocalizing... and finally the hot-shot in mild to moderate amounts. She was part-way in, or at least up the ramp, and the owners had her neck tied and secured around part of the trailer. So I was kindly giving gingerly little zaps, and it wasn't doing much. Her owner advises to increase the juice... so I do... not a lot, but it was enough to make her mad.
And did she go into the trailer? Oh, no.
And did I get kicked? Oh, yes.
Cow-kicking. It's a special variety of the defense skill, and I had apparently forgotten (for this practical setting, that is) the ability of cows to kick so far to the side. Perhaps I should have zapped and immediately stepped back. Or decreased the duration of the zap. Or who knows what. But I was a little too close. Common sense. All too uncommon.
And now I have a nice curvy little red half-circle on my left hand and a swollen distal 4th digit on my right hand. Which indicates that I was holding onto the hot-shot with two hands, and that makes little sense. Llama bite, dog bite, cow kick -- at this rate I will have arthritis when I am barely middle-aged.
posted by Claire at 20:48
2 Comments:
or, the other option to getting arthritis at a tender age, is getting wiser to animal's tricks. I'm guessing you will do mostly the latter.
That would be best...
Post a Comment
<< Home