AUNTY DEL
Even though her temperature is down to normal I am very afraid for Del my big tall Ayrshire. My milk cow. Only weeks away from calving and this terrible bout of pneumonia has ravaged her. Everything is back in working order. But she is still in intensive care. She eats very little. Walks with geriatric care. Stands staring for hours on end and seems to have gone deep within herself. Hopefully to heal.
Cows are prey animals so they do everything they can to hide illness. If they show weakness the herd will reject them or they lag behind and they will be vulnerable to the predators. I think this is why she stays on her feet. She is waiting it out on her feet.
Think like a cow. 
Anyway – she spent the night locked in the barn out of the cold wind. I just let her out and she very, very slowly headed for the mineral bucket. I took that as a good sign.
I don’t know.
She is not tempted by any of her usual treats and vegetables so I will go to the feed store this morning and get some different feeds to tempt her with and more molasses and alfalfa cubes. Anything high protein with lots of roughage. She must start eating soon. She needs to get strong again.
Tia remains the same thankfully. Hopefully she has not caught whatever caused this. 
I will keep you posted in the comments section.
C
Not the best weather for a recovering pneumonia patient. Damn wind.
41 Comments on “AUNTY DEL”
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Oh, no. When you are afraid for her, I am afraid for her. I hope molasses, protein & minerals will help restore her. I am still sending her all my hope for wellness & soon. The wind has been ferocious here too, blowing birds’ nests out of the trees & bamboo thicket.
Spring winds are the worst. Or maybe not the worst but they are very strong in the spring.
Poor Del! I hope she stays on her feet.
Yes. She is a very large animal.
Hope she pulls through very quickly. Sick animals give us as much worry as sick children. They are so helpless and look to us for help and we often feel totally helpless too.
Oh oh this makes me worry about the calf as well. Laura
O Miss C.. Not eating, that inward looking, that stare.. yes.. yes I can see what you worried.. I hope you find the right things at the store to get her eating again and soon.. poor girl and same for you.. We are not ourselves when one of ours is not doing well.. First Molly and then your hand and now your Aunt Del.. a break is needed soon where things run a bit smoother for the farm..
Oh Celi. Good luck today. We need spring to decide to stay and gentle down for poor Aunty Del. Such a strange thing for her to have suddenly developed pneumonia. Sending healing thoughts her way.
Oh dear poor Del and poor you.
I think crazy, quick-changing weather is frequently the cause of pneumonia in livestock, and we have all had a lot of that. Fingers crossed for Aunty Del!
And tonight we are going back down to freezing.
Oy. Not good. You are really getting hit hard. I will keep Del in my good thoughts.
I am afraid for Del and the unborn calf. But keep hope. Jan 2018 our milker had inexplicably lost so much weight – had I seen her in someone else’s field I would have called the SPCA. Many tests from the vet and a final diagnosis – severe anemia, and fibrinogen levels through the roof. The vet was neatly in tears when she told me she had cancer and there was nothing she could do to fix it. We made a careful decision on what exact signs we needed to see with the cow and prepared to end her suffering when it was appropriate. Long story short – that cow is out in my field right now looking like a million dollar milker – her calf is due near end of May. Animals are remarkably resilient – stay hopeful. I’m not sure what type of hay you feed – but one of the things we did was to very slowly start to incorporate straight alfalfa hay into her diet, morning and night. Slowly as to not cause bloat. Fingers crossed for you.
If she would eat anything at all I would be grateful. I think she may lose the calf this morning- she is showing all the signs.
Unfortunate- but better to save the cow….the calf possibly isn’t alive….I will be thinking of you today and hoping for a good outcome.
I have put a call through to the emergency vet. Who ever is on call – now Del and I wait some more.
Excellent idea. Proactive is better than reactive.
I will stay hopeful that she is one of the resilient ones. Sounds like your work today will require everything you’ve got. Best wishes.
Sending positive thoughts she gets better. I can’t imagine being that sick and standing through it all.
Poor Del. Hope she gets stronger by the day.
I can only say how much we all are pulling for you and Aunty Del, such a lovely cow. These hours are unbearable really. How I wish the weather would bless you instead of such wretchedness.
Poor Del, still feeling so bad and no appetite. Poor Celi, having to watch and worry and knowing that the calf might not make it. I wish I could wrap you both in a nice warm blanket with a bowl of whatever would do you both the most good. Chicken soup for you, and perhaps a hot mash for her?
Yes, we’re linking arms, all of us aren’t we Kate…
I’d have taken a turn at watching if I wasn’t half the world away… Failing that, I’d have been bringing out hot soup for Celi.
Yes, and I as well Kate! xo
Hang in there, Aunty Del. Maybe a blanket wouldn’t be a bad idea. It’s supposed to be nasty later today as I see from the weather report. Keeping the prayers and positive thoughts coming your way.
I’m so sorry to hear that things are still on the struggle side. This makes my heart heavy for all of you.
Oh no! I am so sorry. I will continue to send healing thoughts. Unfortunately, because I’m not a farmer, I don’t have any useful ideas or suggestions. But you are a pro, and a kindhearted, insightful person with great capacity for creativity and trying things that no one else would try. I know she is in the best possible most loving hands. With an excellent vet by the sound, so hopefully something that you are trying to work. Thinking of you and Del today.
Oh Aunty Del, poor, sweet Aunty Del. I just wonder if that wind incident was the start. Lowering her immune system. All my hopes are with you and her.
So worrying, I see you have called the vet.
I have been waiting for news. Hoping it would be good… that everything works out as best it can ♡
Not too good. But Del is in recovery now so fingers crossed- I wish it were not so cold!
Fingers crossed for Aunty Del that she will recover.🤞🤞
So sorry to hear Auntie Del hasn’t been well. She’s blessed to have you by her side. Happy to drive down if you need help! (Will bring a snow-bonnet for Del!)
Hi, Ceci!
I wonder if a good old-fashioned mustard plaster around Auntie’s lung area, plus the aforementioned blankets, would be of any help. Good thoughts moving your way, and NOT on a nasty wind either!
Yes, dry Keene’s mixed with oil to keep it flexible and working slowly… Do they grind mustard seed at the mill Celi?
oh my goodness…..my hopes are high for Del…..such a good cow….love and hugs
I hope Aunty Del and the calf are OK. Will you still be able to milk her if she lost the calf now? Not an ideal outcome, here’s hoping they both come through.
The answer to that is yes. She actually must be milked or she would be in a very bad way. And you are right – at least the farm gets milk
Poor Del – I hope she gets better soon.
Sorry to hear about Del Celi .. hurry up and get well girl