07/18/2026
For those who have been following our updates, Ms. Stella was born this past Tuesday, and her delivery was without complications. Within 15 minutes of her birth, Stella was actively exploring her surroundings, while her mother attended to her. She nursed for an extended period, resulting in a prominent milk mustache.
On Wednesday, the air quality began to deteriorate due to smoke from the Canadian fires. Stella's nursing frequency decreased throughout the day, which I initially attributed to her nursing when unobserved.
By yesterday, her condition had worsened significantly. She remained laying down for most of the day, and the smoke was exceptionally dense, making breathing very difficult. I observed no nursing activity, and her coat was noticeably damp as she struggled to breathe. At this point, her temperature registered 102.9, prompting me to contact the veterinarian.
Given the lower elevation of the barn compared to the pasture, I determined that moving her and her mother to the barn would exacerbate the situation. Higher ground was deemed the most suitable location for her recovery.
Dr. Rosanelli provided exceptional care, arriving promptly. Upon her arrival, Stella's temperature had risen to 103.6. Her lungs were starting to sound horrible. She was immediately administered a fast-acting antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory. We opted to defer fluid administration as her condition had not yet reached a point where it was deemed necessary. Fluids are on hand if she was to need them.
We have observed some improvement in her condition this evening, and we are optimistic about her continued recovery.