Everyone who’s had the privilege of experiencing the miracle of birth knows that it can be messy and it doesn’t always follow a prescribed schedule.
Mixed into the excitement and joy, there’s always a twinge of anxiety in the air until it’s assured that the birth went well.
And that’s exactly how Amy Hill felt when her 10-year-old sheep Dotty was expecting lambs.
It’s not like there was a reason to think anything would go wrong—Dotty had given birth several times before and had always produced healthy offspring—but this time, everything would be different.
Sonwy River Farms in Nova Scotia, Canada raises animals without using genetically modified crops, and the animals are taken care of in a humane and ecologically friendly manner.
The farm has many animals, but Amy Hill has always held Dotty in special place in her heart, as she was Amy’s first female sheep.
An Early Second Chance
On my way to work as a vet technician a few weeks ago, I saw what looked like a sock or shirt laying in the road. I didn’t think much of it.
About 15 minutes later a woman came in holding a box and said she found a kitten on the road, and she thinks it is still alive. My heart sank knowing I drove right past this sweet girl without thinking twice. I took her into the exam room and the doctor decided she may have a broken jaw and some head trauma. We administered a steroid injection, subcutaneous fluids, pain medication, and started her on antibiotics.
The first two days were not great for her. She was in some pain and could not hold her head upright. On day 3, she was starting to improve, she was less stuffy, her head was upright, and she was eating well from a syringe.
I decided to take her home and continue her care there, and bring her to work with me every day. Since then this little girl has blossomed into quite the firecracker! She is still syringe feeding, as she is only about 4 weeks old, maybe 5, and she loves to chase my feet when I walk!
If it weren’t for the woman finding her, this little girl wouldn’t have stood a chance out there along the road. My husband decided to name her Nook, and she is settling in quite well at home with our three other cats.
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