07/27/2026
This is a hard post to make...but I am really hoping that maybe it will help.
One of the sweetest souls to have ever lived on our homestead passed the other night. All of my animals are special...but some have a soul tie to you that is unmatched. She was definitely one of those souls that touched mine deeply.
I spent tireless days and sleepless nights tending to her and doing everything I possibly could to help her. I could not have done it without an amazing stranger who I feel will now become a friend. I bought this little girl from her and she provided me with medicine and endless help and advice to try to nurse her back to health. Without her I would have never been able to get through this.
This is where my post comes in...
The major lack of veterinary help in my area is actually insane. It is a major need and I wish so desperately there was someone to fill it. I have searched for traveling vets for small farms or even local clinics that would be willing to see goats and I have had no luck.
Watching an animal you love deeply slowly die without any available professional help after you have exhausted all options available to you is HARD. Many life saving medicines require a vet to prescribe and when there isn't a vet that you can go to it's nearly impossible to help your animal.
From what I can find all of the "farm" vets in my area only see cattle. None will give a small homestead a visit and many say they don't see goats. If I find one that does see goats I live too far away. The other frustrating thing is the lack of medication even provided at farm stores for certain animals. Not only are vets easier to find if you have cows or horses but there is way more readily available medicine available to buy in the farm store for those animals. It is beyond frustrating. But anyway...
Does anywhere near the Coleman or surrounding areas have a vet they use that is willing to come to Coleman so I can become a clients for future needs? I would love any and all recommendations as I want to avoid going through what I just went through in the future.
I always see people say "if homesteading was easy then everyone would do it" and gosh is it true. Not just the daily workload of caring for a homestead but the nights and days that blur together when something goes wrong. Whether you are endlessly working to save an animal, help a mama goat kid, or whatever the situation is...it is one of the hardest things I have ever done. One of the most rewarding but hardest. I would be lying if I didn't say that the heartbreak that came with losing this girl definitely made me question if I'm cut out for this. This loss was exceptionally hard. I couldn't imagine living a life outside of homesteading so I will continue...but I am in a desperate search to find a vet willing to see my animals to avoid this immense stress and heartbreak in the future.
If you read this entire post thank you. If you have absolutely any recommendations I will take them. If you also homestead and have any advice or words of encouragement I'd gladly take that too. 🫶🏼
