Monday, May 23, 2022

Milliron Monday: Blackberry Pie & Biscuits

 

Author & Illustrator Sandra Russell at Milliron Clinic
Original Art (c) Sandra Russell

Abbott "Pete" Smith D.V.M.
June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010
Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Pete Smith, D.V.M., and  Milliron: Abbott “Pete” Smith, D.V.M. The Biography (Monday Creek Publishing 2017), including his wife Jody (1938-2021)

If food's involved, Pete will be there.
― Jody Smith

Blackberry Pie & Biscuits

Art & Story by Sandra Russell

In the pantheon of veterinarians "Pete Smith" was a god! I had a long background series of animals with Pete Smith. My mom, my brother also. I could write a couple more stories about him as far as that goes. How he helped my mom, and myself so many times. Since1974 !!!  - up until shortly before he died. Some of the animals needed chronic care and so I would trade blackberry pie and biscuits for some of the treatments. The last pie I baked was baked in an antique stove with a movable propane tank in a field. I was semi-homeless, as in, I lived in a camper in a field with an electric pole and had a tiny gas stove under a tarp. I would uncover it, hook it up to the gas tank and bake a pie. I would trade these to Pete for surgery and medications for a cat with cancer. All a long time ago. But he was the best vet ever.

Pete told me once that there are five or six different local parasites that can do a dog damage; fleas, some lice, ticks, deer ticks etc. A couple of these vermin live under the skin and are not visible...the eggs manifest on the hair of the animal, but you don't see the bug.

Well I have an old cat "Miss White" who should be named Miss Betty White as old as she is...but no, she's from Clue. I picked her up as a stray at the hospital so she was Nurse White, then just Miss. She is plagued by some bug that drives her nuts and so I went to Friendly Paws and got one generic powdered Capstar, which is a flea killer that works for 24 hours, and then a tube of a topical bug killer to put on her tomorrow. This combo should provide some relief and is cheaper than going to the local vet who knows nadda about how to fix this problem, and costs 3x's as much to fail. Wish me luck.

Read more from Sandra here.


 
Have a great week ahead.


Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled veterinarian.

 


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