D. E. Larsen, DVM

It was a sunny Friday evening and we just got the kids to the dinner table. 

“Maybe we should eat dinner and go to the movie down at the Rio tonight,” I said. Speaking more to myself than to the family.

“That would be great,” Sandy said. “It that new movie that everyone is talking about. Star Wars, I think.”

I made a long reach from the end of the table and speared slice of chicken breast with my fork. Just as I settled onto my plate, the telephone rang.

“Great,” Sandy whispered under her breath.

“Three day old wire cut,” I said. “Those gals never look at their horse all week and find the problem when they are brushing them for a Saturday morning ride.”

“Do you want me to answer it?” Sandy asked.

“I’ll get it,” I said as I got up and walked to the kitchen to answer the call.

“Hello, this is Dr. Larsen,” I said into the phone.

“I’m so glad I caught you, Doc,” Janice said. “I thought you might be at that movie already.”

“What do you have going on, Janice?” I asked.

“Luna has a nasty wire cut on the side of her neck,” Janice said. “I think she must have caught it on the barbwire fence. I was hoping I could get you to come out and sew it up tonight.”

“I thought we talked about that barbedwire fence last year,” I said.

“Yes, I know it is my fault,” Janice said. “But you know how it is, there is always something else to spend the money on and something that seems to consume the time.”

“When do you think this happened?” I asked.

“It looks like it might be a day or two old,” Janice said. “There is some dried blood in the hair and the wound Is matted with her hair.”

“Janice, you know that there will be no difference in the wound healing of a wire cut that is two or three days old,” I said. “It will save you a hundred dollars if I come out in the morning.”

“Yes, I know,” Janice said. “But I was planning to ride Luna in the morning. A bunch of us girls are going up Black’s Creek for a ride. Do you think she will be okay to ride tomorrow?”

“I can’t tell without looking at her, but I wouldn’t expect a skin laceration on her neck to slow Luna down much,” I said. “And twelve hours difference if only going affect the price. What time are you planning to leave in the morning?”

“Sue is going to be here with her trailer at nine,” Janice said. “That is why I wanted to get it done tonight. But, if waiting until morning will save a hundred dollars, maybe I should wait.”

“I can be out the by eight,” I said. “Luna is so easy to work on, I should be done before nine.”

“Okay, Doc, let’s do it in the morning,” Janice said. That way your kids can see the movie.”

***

Janice was holding Luna in the corral when I pulled into her driveway. I poured a bucket of water and drew up ten ccs of lidocaine in a syringe and stuck it in my pocket. 

With my surgery bag in one hand and the water bucket in the other, I slipped through the corral gate.

Luna snickered when I patted her on the right shoulder. The laceration that Janice had call about was on the right side of Luna’s neck. It was less than two inches long, dry and crusty, it probably happened on Monday or Tuesday. I would have been pissed if I had came out last night for this wound.

“I have to tell you, Janice, that this would will heal inspite of what we do today,” I said. “This is nearly a week old. I can clean it up, give her a tetnus booster and some antibiotics and she will be good to go. To close this wound, I am going to have to remove the skin edge and all the granulation tissue, then suture the wound. That might heal a little faster, but only by a week.”

“Are you sure it well heal?” Janice asked.

“If I looked at this wound on Wednesday, I would have sutured it with only some minor debridement,” I said. “Today, I have to remove the skin edge and all the granulation tissue. It will make a larger would, take more time, and gain very little benefit. I think if I clean this wound and shave the hair away from the skin edge, it will be healed in two weeks.”

“Okay, Doc,” Janice said. “Am I going to be able to ride her today?”

I press hard on the wound and around the edge. Luna showed no response to the manipulations.

“I don’t think she knows she has a wound,” I said. “I will only use a little lidocaine for local anesthesia if she flinches. My bet is she isn’t going to need anything.”

I scurbbed the wound with Betadine surgical scrub and rinsed it well. I shaved the wound edge with a prep blade, making a wide margin around the wound. Then I scraped the crusty debris from the wound, exposing fresh granulation tisuue. Luna never flinched through the whole process.

I opened a new container of Furacin ointment and applied a small coating to the wound. I handed Janice the container.

“Apply a small amount twice a day,” I said. “That is all you have to do. I will drop by next Friday, just to double check on things. I will have Sandy give you a call on Monday to schedule that recheck. If you have Luna in the corral, I don’t think you would need to be here.”

“Do I have to do anything for flies?” Janice asked.

“I don’t think that will be a problem with this wound,” I said. “By the time I recheck it, you will be surprised at how close it is to being healed.”

“That’s great, I hate the fly spray,” Janice said.

“Now a tetnus booster and a dose of long acting penicillin and I will be out of here before Sue arrives,” I said.

***

Just as I said. Luna’s wire cut was almost healed with I rechecked her the following week. Janice and Sue had an enjoyable ride after my visit. And the kids got to see Star Wars. I just didn’t expect that movie to still be around for almost fifty years.

Photo Credit: Stephen Leonardi on Pexels.

My July is busy this busy this year. I seems like I have more time on the road than I have at home. First a trip to Myrtle Point over the 4^th of July, that involved seven hours of driving and three days away. Then this weekend, another trip to Myrtle Point for an impromptu class reunion, another seven hours of driving and four days away.

Then on the 25^th of July, during the Coos County Fair in Myrtle Point, I have a celebration for Twin Oaks 4-H club, for 80 years of service to the community. With the fair, there are no accommidations available in Myrtle Point, so we have to back track to Roseburg for a room. Another seven hours of driving and two days away.

That totals nine days away from home for July, but it seems like more, as it always most of a day to prepare to depart and then at least a day to recover from the trip. That makes fifteen days and we won’t speak of the expense. It all adds up to a busy July.

That somewhat explains this weeks blog post. II was written in 1850. Which means little work for me. This is a letter written from by my great-great grandfather. He had traveled to California in the gold rush and this was a letter home.

In another letter, in possission of another portion of the extended family and partially published in the Oakland Tribune on January 23, 1949, he stated that he was coming home with $220 dollars. Not much for such a trip. 

But I hope you enjoy the letter and to make it easier to read, there is a transcription that that follows the scans.

This Transcription by David E. Larsen, July 5, 2025 – Corrections or guesses are in brackets [ ].

***

August 18, (18)50 fifty miles from

Sacaramanto Cittey

My Dear Wife

I am happy to inform thee that I arrived here on July the 28 in perfect good [h]ealth but much tire([d] of traveling having walked and carreyed my pack for near 400 miles the road a considrable part of it) being so bad that I cannot Describe it some placeses for o[v]er 10 miles very Deep sands other places very rockey and stoney alsotremendious hills very ruff and in some places Covered with Snow I me and 3 others left our company and teams near 400 miles back from this place the reason why we did so was our provisions were got very Scarse and we thought of getting in before the teams and get Nobles son to meet them with provision but we got on the [w]rong trak and got into the digg digins one hundred and fiftey or 200 miles from were they went too we have not seen nor heard from them Since onley we heard that they had bought and killed 2 Oxen since we left them the rout that Noble took [h]ad no travle on it this year before he went (we are informed) and had we taken the Same route it is very likley we should[d] have perished for want of food as we Should have had to travel more than one hundred miles withught food the reason why it was so Mr Noble was mistaken in the distance we werel rathe[r] pinched as it was we traveled across the Disert 40 or 45 Miles on a little flower and water and from 20 to 25 miles we had neither flower nor water 2 of our men had some Dificultey in crossing I went 

[next page] before and met them with water Soon after we Crossed the Disert we met waggons with provisions to Sell flower at 2 Dollars pork and hard bread 2¼ per pound we had a little money but we had to be very Carefull how we spent it after Crossingthe Disert 2 of our men were unwilling to proseed so I and a young man from lbennedicts went A head after traveling 2 Dayes we fell in with Mr Woodworth and Vanivea’s boys Mr Woodworth Mr Silvernale Willm Vaniea put there their packes on there backs and Came alonge with us the rest of the boys are Come through and we have all together Since Mr Tu[sr]nock went along with Noble and I have not as yet [S}een him but we think of starting towards w[h]ere he is tom(m)orrow that is w[h]ere we expect him to be the prosppect(t)s are not so flattreing as was gemeraly expected thousands have alreadey wished themselves at home again I saw one man on the road that was Shoott by the Indieans he was Shot in the brest I saw and handled the harrow the man died the same night that I saw him Saw another man Said there was 6 Shot by the Indeans out of his Companey another worked a little below us 2 of [h]is companions were shot 2 Arrows Struck him but the Swifthness of his horse he would have been killed I have worked pritty hard Since I came but have not made much w[h]ere we are [h]as been dug over and over we think of trying to find a better place tomorrow morning thank

{next page]

be to god we have had plenty to eat Since we Came in and Injoied good [h]ealthe I have never as yet resented Comming to Callefornea and hope I never Shall do I have had hard things to pass through but the lord [h]as been faithfull to his promise in ssix troubles he [h]as been with me and in the Seventh he [h]as not left me and he [h]as promised that he will niver leave  he will nive[r] forsake them that put there trust in him My Dear Polley let us take Courage and put our trust in him who [h]as promised that we Shall niver be Confounded and altho many are the affli[]tions of the ritious the Lord Deliverith them {o]utof them all I should like to be with thee my dear Children and friends In Salem but as this Can[n]ot be at present let us meet at A throne of grac[e] Thank be to God we can meet here an[d] mingle our[?] prayers in the years of him who is al[w]ayes {ready?]

to answer and bless us I have had Some yea ma{???} preacious Seasons from the presance of the Lord in {??} this wilderness of Sin and wickedness this mornin[g] I feelted the to be very preacious to my Soul wil{?} praying on the hill My Dear Mary pray pray pra[y] and pray in faith and God will Comfort Support pror[?] and bless thee = and I hope and pray that Joseph will may not forget to meet [h]is father and mother at A throne of Grace God willing I hope to be at home nest febuarey {several scratch outs} acept of my Kindes love to thyself and also to all our Dear Children and may God ever bless you all with Grace to Live before him whi[t] the prayer of thy ever faithfull and affectio[nate] Husband Joseph Davenport

{Address Page}

Joseph Can have that Coat that Mr[s Bacon[?] made for me Mrs Bacon Can alter it for him 

John Can have A Jacket made out of that Black Coat and trowsers or anything else that there is

Thou Canst have made up for them I wish I [h]ad

Something to give to thee and my little dauters but you

will be like to wate till I Come may God bless 

and preserve you all amen

Placerville Cal Aug 21                    Paid 40

No 4

Mary Davenport

Care of Josuea Mellor

Libbertey Post Office

Town of Salem

Kenniocha Countey

Wisconsin

North America

My Kindest respects to Uncle Thomas and Aunt Dale

also Brother Hallester Sister Delno Brother & Sister Train

and all the members of the Class

My Kindest respects to Uncle Josuea and Aunt

Sarah also to Mary-Elen also to Brother M Mellor

& Wife Kindest Respects to Mr Mrs Pensory[?} & family

Mr Woodworth & vanivea’s Boyes are all well

D. E. Larsen, DVM

When I came back inside after checking on the medications I had in the car.  Sandy was still on the phone. I was hoping it wasn’t the same call.

“This is Carol,” Sandy said. “She has been talking with Stan over at the feed store. She would like you to look at her steer. I have been trying to explain that you don’t have all your supplies yet and that you don’t really want to be taking calls at this time. Can you talk with her?”

I took the phone from Sandy and sat down at our kitchen table with a notepad. We moved to town a few weeks ago and have been house hunting. We were still cramped in this small apartment with four kids and boxes stacked everywhere.

“Hello, Carol, this is Dr. Larsen,” I said into the phone.

“Dr. Larsen, I have a very sick steer,” Carol said. “I was in the feed store talking with Stan and he suggested I give you a call. I understand from your wife that you are quite ready to be looking at animals, but if you can’t look at him, it will take days for me to get someone out of Lebanon or Albany.”

“If you understand that my inventory is not complete, I will come out and look at your steer,” I said. “What is going on with him?”

“He has a terrible diarrhea,” Carol said. “It has been going on for a couple of weeks now. We have tried everything that Stan has recommended, and it just keeps getting worse.”

Sandy handed me her notes, which included Carol’s address and directions to her place, located out on the highway toward Holley.

“It will take me a little time to straighten up the car, but I will be out there in an hour or so,” I said.

“Thank you, Doctor,” Carol said. “I will be waiting for you out at the barn with the steer. You will see me when you turn into the driveway.”

I hung up the phone and looked at Sandy. 

“It sounds like I will have a lot of education to do here,” I said. “People are the same everywhere. The steer has been sick for weeks, but when it looks like he might die, it becomes an emergency.”

True to her word, I could see Carol standing out by the barn when I pulled into the driveway. The only problem was in her definition of a barn. I would call this building a shed. And that is a stretch.

I stepped out of the car and introduced myself. 
“I have the steer tied in the barn,” Carol said. “I thought he was going to  die when I looked at him this morning, but he looks better this afternoon.”

“I will look him over and then we can talk about what we need to do for diagnosis and treatment,” I said. “Can you tell me what you have treated him with from the feed store?”

“We gave him a worm pill,” Carol said. “That didn’t seem to do much.”

“Do you know what it was called?” I asked.

“No, I don’t think we knew,” Carol said.

“Was it yellow or white?” I asked.

“It was white,” Carol said. “Then, when that didn’t help, we gave him some scour pills. They were yellow. Terra something, I think. We gave him two of those twice a day for five days. That didn’t help either. Then, this weekend, he wasn’t eating well, and my father-in-law looked at him and gave him an oily rag to give him his cud back.”

I looked at Carol and stifled a laugh. I couldn’t believe her last comment.

“Doctor Larsen, don’t laugh at me, I am doing the best I can,” Carol said.

“I’m sorry, Carol,” I said. “It’s just your last comment. I have a book of livestock diseases that belonged to my great-grandfather. It was published in the 1870s, and it states that the practice of giving an oily rag to give a cow her cud back is probably an old wives’ tale, and the practice should be discontinued. I am just amused that it is still being done.”

“Well, my husband’s father is a very opinionated old man,” Carol said. “It doesn’t surprise me that he is living back in the 1870s.”

“Looking at this steer, his tail is soaked with manure, so he has had some watery diarrhea. The stool in his colon has some form to it, so maybe he is on the mend,” I said. “I will draw a blood sample and submit it to the lab, along with a stool sample. Since those results will take a few days, I will go ahead and treat him today.”

“What do you think he has, Doctor?” Carol asked.

“I think he probably has BVD,” I said. “That is bovine viral diarrhea. It could be something else, which is why we need to do the lab work. If this is BVD, he will probably get well or not, regardless of what I do for him. If this is an acute infection, it typically resolves within two to three weeks. We are almost at that time now. So, if I give him a shot today, and he is well in a couple of days, it doesn’t have anything to do with the shot.”

“What if he doesn’t get better?” Carol asked.

“If this is BVD, there are several things that can happen,” I said. “He can recover in two or three weeks, he can die almost at any time along the way, or, maybe worse of all, he can become persistently infected. Those animals that are persistently infected serve as a source of infection for the rest of the herd and other animals.”

“Well, at this time, there are no other animals,” Carol said.

“Just remember this guy,” I said. “Before you bring other cattle onto this place, just make sure they are vaccinated. If you are interested, I can send you a copy of my recommendations for routine herd vaccinations and preventative treatments.”

“Yes, that would be nice,” Carol said.

I treated the steer with antibiotics, which probably did little good, sent in samples to the lab, and left electrolytes for his water.

The lab samples came back positive for BVD. 

Luckily, the steer steadily improved and was back to normal the following week. Carol became a good client and a huge supporter, despite my laugh. I am not sure she ever believed that it wasn’t me who saved her steer.

Photo Credit: Tahir Osman on Pexels.