The larlge animal vets are the First Responders of the animal world, they work crazy hours, drive hundreds of miles, handle cows, horses, sheep, goats, llamas. They have to diagnose without sophisticated tools, work in smelly and crowded barns with unpredictable animals. Like the carriage horse drivers, they choose a grueling but exciting way of life. They never know what they will see.

Dr. Lauren Marsh was impressive, she came in, looked over Ma, gave me five or six options, including a C-section, which I refused. We are inducing labor and if Ma doesn’t give birth by tomorrow morning, we will euthanize her for her own well-being. In minutes, Dr. Marsh had an ultra-sound and and IV going, and Ma was wrestling her every bit of the way.