For 4 weeks in November, I spent time in Erskine, Alberta learning the ins and outs of production animal medicine – namely cows.
Given that cattle medicine in Alberta is highly seasonal, my month consisted of pregnancy diagnosis. While the traditional way to check if a cow is pregnant is to reach your arm into their rectum and feel around, the clinic I spent the month with used a long ultrasound probe instead. Over the course of the month, I got to diagnose pregnancy in over 500 cattle, using a combination of rectal palpation (the arm method) and ultrasound. On the coldest days I spent time studying for my my licensing exam (NAVLE) inside.
While production animal medicine is not my cup of tea, I gained a great appreciation for the small-town community vibe. Everyone was so friendly. I had an opportunity to do some equine dentistry, some bull and stallion castrations, do an abdominal surgery on a cow by myself and join some people in their homes for coffee.
After spending time in the beautiful prairies on the road, I was inspired to pursue some mixed animal practice upon graduation. After this cold snap in January which lasted two weeks in the -30ās to -40ās, Iām carefully reconsidering that dream, especially in this province!
Overall, I would have to say that my time in Erskine was one of my favorites this year, despite being one of the most intimidating prior to arrival. I am so grateful for the truck talks I had with the vets on the road, and an overall welcoming environment.
P.S. I taught myself how to repair a flat tire all by my lonesome so I could drive home to Calgary one evening. The culprit is pictured below.
Flat tire culprit š¦
Wompus, my little kitty friend.
My last day – covered with more cow poop than I’d like to admit.
The beautiful sunset seen from the house I lived at for the month.
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