Saturday, July 7, 2012

Remedies

Emma hasn't had to wear the grazing muzzle at all today.  I may put it back on her when I go to bed just for my own peace of mind, but I think she is getting past her cleaning need.  I have been doing everything I can think of to make her more comfortable and feel safe.  She is feeling a bit threatened by the horses so they have been further exiled form the barn...

Fortunately, I had these grates on hand as they are what I finally came up with for my slow feeders (I'll post some new pictures of them one of these days.  I have made some changes and perfected my design and they are working great). 

I think that the thing that is troubling Emma the most right now though, is that she is in pain.  She has some slight discharge and she is having a lot of trouble urinating.  When I checked her this morning, the little bit of her vulva that I can see is completely black with bruising.  I think the birth was hard for her and she has a lot of internal bruising and tearing along with a lot of generalized soreness.  I spoke with the vet again and we decided to give her some banamine (pain killer for equines) for a couple of days.  I gave her the first dose this afternoon and it seems to be helping.  She is more relaxed, seems happier and less stressed.  I am watching her and baby very closely for any signs of infection.  

I made up a batch of my homemade hand/body lotion to use on her udder to help ease the soreness and chafing there as well.  It is made from beeswax, olive oil, sweet alomnd oil and vitmin E.  It makes a really nice lotion that can be used on even the most sensitive skin and as a lip balm If any of you are interested in trying this, it is easy to make (skip this part if you want to go straight to more baby pictures).  I hand this stuff out at Christmas sometimes and everybody has loved it and requested more. All you need is:

  • 3-3.5 ounces of beeswax
  • 1 cup Sweet Almond Oil (side-note:  this oil is also great for cooking, especially stir-fry as it has a very high flash point and zero cholesterol)
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 3-4 vitamin E capsules
  • Fragrance or essential oil if desired (I skip this for animal use)
I mix all of the oils, vit. E and fragrance together in a jar and I use a large yogurt container to melt the wax, which I do in the microwave. Be careful melting the wax, I do it with 30 second blasts in the microwave.  It usually takes about 2 minutes, but check it often.  Once it is melted I pour all of the oil into the plastic container and mix.  If it doesn't mix smoothly, you will have to heat it up a little more.  Just put the yogurt container back in the microwave for another 30 seconds.  Once everything is warm enough, it will mix together smoothly and easily with no lumps or cloudiness.

The melted wax on the left and the oils on the right, ready to pour into the yogurt container....


 The warm solution all mixed and poured into the tins....

The finished product after it has cooled and set.
The beauty of using the yogurt container is that clean up is a cinch, I just toss the container.   The wax in this makes very hard to clean up otherwise.  It can be done, but I don't have the patience for putting that much effort into a yogurt container:)

The recipe above is more of a ratio then a real recipe.  If you want the end result to be harder (ie, if you want to pour it into those little lib balm tubes) then use a 1/4 - 1/2 an ounce more wax.  If you want it softer use less wax.  You can also try different kind of oils if you want, but this is what I have found to be the most popular. 

Now, back to what you're really here for...



I may need a new camera, it cant keep up with a warp-speed donkey...





I know I said I would tell you his name today, but I think I need another day to be sure.  Hopefully, this little guy will be around for a long time.  I want to make sure that his name not only suits him right now, but is also something he can grow into.

9 comments:

  1. west coast here. thanks for the recipe. i know you have a name, but couldn't resist, yet again, sorry...Musembi, famous African runner. which your new baby seems like with the zoomies. a runner! i'll stop now. g'night.

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  2. Aw, Emma. These two are in good hands!

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  3. It must be a lot of fun to be able to watch him zip around like he does. He's so stinking cute! Thanks for keeping us updated!
    Deb Zieno

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  4. I am so glad you got Emma some pain meds. I am sure she will be enjoying this little bundle of energy more now. I used to make and sell lotions bars with this exact same recipe only maybe a little more beeswax. Then it is a solid you just rub into your hands. Great stuff!

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  5. I think that picture of him posing like a Arab is extra nice.

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  6. That dear girl. I hope they are feeling better. I go to medical doctors, but I also use homeopathics. They are absolutely wonderful! There are veterinarians that use homeopathic medicines too. They are so gentle and safe and don't interact with other medications. They are used extensively in Europe and other countries. I just did a Google search for homeopathics for animals and there are a lot of veterinary sites listed. I use anica montana tablets and also a gel for severe arthritis -- it's for bruising, soreness, joint pain -- anything like that. I'm very careful with my own care and went to alternative doctors for several years when I lived in Virginia. I know you would want to be very careful with the dear ones in your care. Many people use homeopathics for themselves and their animals. I'm just suggesting it as something you might be open to reading about because it is so gentle and effective. Bless all of you.

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    Replies
    1. HI Suzanne, I am not at all opposed to homeopathic medicine and have used some of it. My personal belief is that both homeopathic and modern medicine are useful and that both also have flaws. I would like to see more integration on both sides of the fence so to speak. I did not use homeopathy in this case because I needed something that I knew would give quick relief, would be safe and was immediately available.

      I keep Banamine on hand in case of emergencies as most horse-people do. Trying to track down any sort of homeopathic remedy around here would require at least an hour's drive each way and may not be available at all.

      The vet I am working with does use some herbal and homeopathic remedies depending on what is likely to work best for a given situation. If Emma's anxiety did not ease we were going to put her on some Valerian root. I am a big believer in using whatever is safe and effective. This time it was Banamine, the next crisis may call for something totally different:) Thanks for getting in touch.

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    2. I'm new to your blog, but you seemed very saavy and I like your vet. That's the way I work with myself: to use whatever is best in the situation. From my reading it does seem that in Europe homeopathy, allopathic medicines and herbs are integrated. It's very sensible.

      I followed a link from the 7MSN to find you when Emma's babe was born. What a wonderful spirit he is and Emma is so sweet. I'm enjoying your blog very much.

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  7. He is a pistol alright. And thanks for the recipe. We always have chapped lips in the fall and winter and the grandkids love "homemade" batches of love. Lucky Momma donkey to have both a bundle of joy and a human who loves her so. Oma Linda

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