Veterinary tales of mustelids and men

The call came into the Fisher and Neumann Veterinary Office one day. Some livestock needed to be vaccinated for pneumonia. This was the early 1950’s before the clinic became known as the Sioux Veterinary Clinic in 1959.

Dr. Robert Fisher and his young partner, Dr. A.J. Neumann, gathered up the necessary medicines needed to stop the disease. On this particular call they weren’t too worried about being trampled to death by a herd of horses or gored by a bull.

From My Farmhouse Kitchen

By Renae B. Vander Schaaf

raised on farms at one time. The first fox farmers found a jackpot as fox pelts were in high demand. The depression years wiped out the market for expensive furs.

in, the ermine. The bitterly cold weather, like we can have in Iowa, sometimes changes their brownish fur to pure white. Then they may be called stoats. My farmer and I have seen the white Mustela ermine outdoors.

Instead, Dr. Fisher’s advice to his partner was “Now, don’t wrinkle your nose or ears too much.” Dr. Neumann was a bit surprised when they opened the barn door to see rabbits of all colors and sizes hopping here, there and everywhere in the large barn.

My farmer tells me it’s nigh impossible to chase pigs to where you want them to go; and I suspect commanding rabbits comes with its own challenges.

Dr. Neumann says they used panels to work the rabbits into a corner before they could begin the task of vaccinating these Oryctolagus cuniculus of the family Leporidae

Rabbits were a viable livestock at one time, raised for their fur and meat. When my farmer and I first married, I did purchase rabbit from Woudstra’s Meat Market in town to cook with. It was quite tasty.

Another type of livestock farming that isn’t seen very often today was raising a member of the weasel family. Mink were raised for their valuable fur. Some say it replaced the silver and black tip fox which had also been

Mink are fragile animals demanding daily attention and care. What I read in my veterinary books tell me there are a host of diseases which can invade mustelids. They are touchy critters — especially in reference to diet. These carnivores are quite fussy about how their meat has been stored and is prepared. These temperamental animals do not like hot, humid weather. They also need it to be quiet.

I think I know a few two-legged weasels.

It wasn’t unusual for veterinarians to be called to a mink farm to vaccinate young mink kits or care for their mothers (which are called sows). The father naturally is referred to as a boar.

Dr. Neumann occasionally had to treat minks for distemper. The majority of the time it went well; but one time, a mink went into survival mode and clenched his teeth into the veterinarian’s pointer finger. No matter what methods they tried, it was a long time before the mink calmed down enough to let go. Now at 96 years old, the scars are still visible on his finger.

Occasionally, baby kits were rejected by their mothers or needed special care. It wasn’t unusual to take them into the house so the mink raising family could watch the kit more closely.

Families in town also took an active interest in raising mink — or its cous-

And I need to emphasize outdoors, because at one time attics, basements and garages were repurposed into rooms where ermine could be raised for the delicate fur which was a status symbol.

Because livestock producers expect their veterinarian to be able to treat any and all livestock they choose to produce, a veterinarian needs to keep learning. He was well aware farmers depended on him because livestock was their livelihood. Dr. Neumann said he was constantly reading journals and books to make a correct diagnosis.

Similar to depending on a good vet, many farmers also recognize their dependence on God. Their manual is the Bible — The Book of Life. In it they find guidance for how to live a life that pleases God.

They also know that it was God who in His mercy sent Jesus to die for us who are separated from God by sin. It is not good works, nor living a moral life that saves us from eternal damnation; the only way is to call on the name of Jesus. We are saved through faith. It is a gift of God.

Titus 3:4-7 — “But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Any time of the day is good for reading God’s word.

Renae B. Vander Schaaf is an independent writer, author and speaker. Contact her at (605) 530-0017 or agripen@live.com. v