If you keep animals long enough, you will eventually become acquainted with some basic veterinary first aid. Here’s a book that can make the learning process a little smoother.
Veterinary Guide for Animal Owners by C. E. Spaulding, DVM, and Jackie Clay contains information on all common farm animals:
- Cattle.
- Goats.
- Sheep.
- Horses.
- Pigs.
- Poultry.
- Rabbits.
- Dogs.
- Cats.
Each chapter starts with tips on basic animal care, tailored to the species in question. Then follows information on diseases, injuries, and other health problems common to that animal. You will learn the basics of how to identify, treat, and prevent a number of issues, ranging from serious contagious diseases to minor cuts and sores.
The final chapter of the book is also useful, explaining a number of basic procedures that you may want to become familiar with:
- Giving medication.
- Administering artificial respiration.
- Treating cases of poisoning.
- Handling an animal in shock.
- Taking a temperature.
But probably the most useful parts of the book for beginning homesteaders are the sections on diseases. It can be very difficult to precisely identify a disease that you have never seen before, and the Veterinary Guide for Animal Owners is a big help in this process, enabling you to distinguish between a major life-threatening problem and a minor situation that just requires a little attention and nursing.
A must-have for every livestock owner, and a good choice for pet owners, as well.
Homestead on the Range 