Amy…

It always surprises me, it shouldn’t but it does, when one of my animals show me just how incredibly intelligent they are.

Amy came to me 2 years ago from a dear friend who found her at an auction.

She’s never been exceptionally healthy, and after a year of tests, remedies, medical treatments, vet checks, probing and prodding, it was concluded she has irritable bowel syndrome.  I’ve recorded her eating habits to try to determine the cause, but for unknown reasons, other than perhaps wet grass, she gets scours pretty frequently and ends up being extremely uncomfortable, showing signs of stomach pain.  The poor baby just drips all over herself, which causes even more irritation, discomfort and other problems. She then becomes completely unsociable, and runs around as if she’s trying to get away from the pain. It is so disheartening that I cry and nearly beg the universe for some kind of solution or insight to what is causing this affliction. I still worm her with ACV and garlic, which sometimes helps the problem stay away longer, but giving her any further medication is not going to happen. The vet and I have tried everything.

I keep hoping she’ll develop a healthy gut as she ages, and become a normal sheep – she is now 4 years old.  After these past 2 years, the irritation happens less frequently, but it still occurs.

This past week, as she was grazing in the pasture I noticed her moving from place to place, eating specific plants, so of course I investigated. I learned that she was eating dandelions, root and all (sheep never eat roots). After doing a little research, I found this:

Minerals/Vitamins: Dandelion is a good source of calcium, potassium, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C. Root contains inulin which balances blood sugar and stimulates healthy bowel flora. One serving of dandelion greens has as much calcium as a 1/2 cup of milk.

She knows this the brilliant little being…she was seeking out that plant to help her gut. I find this amazing, and for 2 weeks now she’s been clear and clean.

So, my solution now is to find a way to get her dandelion root all year long.  If anyone has any suggestions, I am completely open to ideas.