Young Calf Almost Cut Her Leg Off

Note: Not all essential oil brands are the same, and you get what you pay for. If you expect to achieve results similar to those described in this testimonial, then ensure that you are using oils from pesticide-free plants. Also, the brand should use 100% pure, high-quality essential oils that do not contain any synthetic additives. Do your own research or ask a trusted friend to find a brand that is reputable. Buyer beware.

On Friday morning, April 8, 2016, we began gathering cattle from various parts of the ranch. In the process of moving one herd across a county road, one calf wrapped a wire around her leg. Every time I tried to get close enough to her to free her, she jumped and made bad matters worse.

I finally decided I needed to cut the fence in order to save her. She then hobbed with her mother across the road and into a set of working pens. When we got her into the loading chute, and with one man at her head and one at the rear, I was able to start working on her from outside the chute since the two men had her pinned down.

First I began cleaning the wound using one part concentrated Thieves Household Cleaner to 40 parts water. I used this dilution simply because it was already mixed in the kitchen for my regular cleaning and I just grabbed it. There was lots of mud, grass, manure, and blood that needed immediate attention.

The blood needed to be stopped first even if there was still a lot of cleaning to be done. So after just a little cleaning with this solution I poured the PanAway oil blend straight from the bottle, liberally, onto the open wound to stop the bleeding and help relieve some of her pain. It absorbed quickly so I also added the Thieves oil blend, again straight from the bottle, for infection protection.

Between all the oils I continued trying to keep as much mud, grass and manure as I could out of the wound. I wanted more protection so I applied the Purification oil blend to help disinfect and clean the wound.

Knowing what was coming, I applied Copaiba oil to help prevent as much inflammation as possible.

Since I had used Melrose oil previously, when mares would often be bitten by the breeding stallion, (those head strong girls sometimes just would not listen to his instructions and had to be reprimanded), and when it was dropped inside the open bites they would heal better from the bottom up. This helped eliminate a lot of pus pockets during the healing process. So onto that leg went several drops of Melrose. Many times a wound needs something to sorta hold all the oils in the wound and I use Animal Scents Ointment to do that.

Finally all the cleaning I could do under the circumstances was done and the oils and ointment had been applied. With the help of the two men, we wrapped up the leg and left her laying in the chute. By this time she was exhausted (and so was I) and ready to just rest. Her mom was in the pen right on the other side of the chute so could stand there and watch without being in our way. We left her to rest.

Somewhere along the way someone called for a vet. They could not get to us until Saturday so I knew we needed to get her stable and wrapped up with a splint to prevent any further damage.

Saturday around noon the vet arrived and we lifted the calf into the bed of the pickup to be able to more easily attend to her. First we had to undress the wound. There was still some mud and grass and a ton of coagulated blood - thank you Helichrysum and Copaiba for stopping the bleeding and the inflammatory swelling. There was just a little more bleeding as we removed the splint and all the bandaging and recleaned the wound.

As the vet was finishing and getting ready to rebandage, I commented I wanted to reapply all the oils I had used on Friday. I got the "your a kook" expression, but it did not deter me.

As we finished, the vet said I'd need to change the bandage every other day. I replied "I'm here alone! I can't handle an 18 day old calf by myself. She's already in the truck, can we just take her to the clinic?" "Sure we can" was the response, "and we can bottle feed her." I pointed to the cow who was still standing in the pen watching us and replied "There's the mother. I'll load her up and y'all can just chunk them a bale of hay each day. They're in the pasture all the time. She'll be able to nurse her calf", So that's what we did.

Before I left the clinic after delivering the cow, I asked when the bandage would be changed. I planned on being there to apply all the oils and Animal Scents Ointment. Guess what? I got that "look" again. I was assured I'd get a call early Monday morning about 6 to get the job done before their day began.

I was there at 6 am on Monday and the calf was brought into the treatment area. When the bandage was removed all the vets saw in real time, and every mouth hit the ground. The first words I heard were, "I sure hope you brought all your 'stuff'!" I assured them I had them and from then on every time the leg was redressed the same oils were reapplied and Animal Scents Ointment used to "seal them in". When the calf came home on May 15. 2016, she looked great and didn't ever have a bit of trouble.

I teach my young moms so they will realize when their kids have a horrible accident they don't have to panic. If these successful results can happen to a calf, it can happen to their kids. Keep cool, apply what oils you have and head to the ER if necessary.

I hope you never have to do something like this, but if you do I hope my experience will help you get through yours with the same results.