Articles written by D E Larsen Dvm
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 30
By 
Zack the springer spaniel and a squirrel's big bite
The clinic was quiet when Joan burst through the door. A regular client, she was a trim young lady in her mid-30s. She had Zack, a young springer spaniel, with her. Today she was covered in blood ...
Pee Wee the dachshund and a very big bone
It was early Sunday morning when the phone rang. We weren’t out of bed yet. We didn’t have any firm plans for the day, but we’d discussed going up the Calapooia River to swim. The weather had be...
Facts and figures are true realities of raising livestock for market
I turned off of McDowell Creek Road into the barnyard. I could see only a few cows in the holding pen and a couple of guys heading up the hill to the upper pasture. I looked at the clock to make sure...
Keeping a poker face while serving the bull
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following column contains graphic anatomical descriptions. I held my three cards firmly and a little cupped, so the three aces were out of view to the other players and the crowd...
Veterinary school 'waste of time' proves valuable in SH
Neurology, the study and treatment of disorders of the nervous system, in early-1970s veterinary medicine always seemed like a waste of time to me. In school, we seemed to spend untold hours learning...
Bringing new life to an elderly cow (June 1, 2022)
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following column contains anatomical language. "I wish Dr. Ball was here," I thought to myself as I drove my left arm deeper into the rectum of this old, fat cow. Dr. Ball was the...
Tripping up bullies in school and in life
Coos County's Broadbent School in the fall of 1952 had grown to its largest enrollment ever with nearly 80 students in eight grades. The school board had discovered that the upper part of Catching...
Remembering a good man – and very intense Husky fan
It was the fall of 1980. As a newly elected school board member, I'd been asked before to attend a volleyball game and was starting to feel guilty about not getting to one. "Doc, I'm telling you: You...
Tales of two cats who had run of clinic
“Joleen, are you still feeding that feral tomcat out the back door?” I asked. “I don’t think he is really feral,” she replied. “I am going to catch him one of these days.” “Catch him,...
Doctor, my eye: When do you say when?
Nessie, a small, straw-colored Cairn terrier, came out from under the feed rack, shaking her head vigorously as the small rat hung limply from her mouth. “That’s the way to get ‘em,” Ayers hol...
Christmas holiday memories from the Army years
"Company D, Private Drake speaking. Can I help you?" Bill answered the phone on a snowy Christmas Eve in 1965. He and I were pulling CQ (charge of quarters) duty for Company D, a duty company for...
Ralph the cat and the Einstein stove
"Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute." Einstein's quote came to mind every fall in Sweet Home. The...
Doc's memoirs: A family dog and a deadly foul ball
Louie and Virginia had been clients from the very early days of my Sweet Home practice. Louie was a tall, lanky guy who had worked hard for most of his life. Virginia was the sweet side of the couple...
Ralph the cat and the Einstein stove
“Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute.” Einstein’s quote came to mind every fall in Sweet Home....
Doc's Memoirs: How the Kitty Angel Team came to be
"Dr. Larsen, I visited my therapist today, and she told me to find what motivates me and run with it," Vicki Lindley said. "She said, 'If that happens to be cats, then do cats.' I am going to start a...
The benefits of having colleagues
I looked at the large black tumor on Dr. Walker’s old gray mare as I wrapped the tail. It was a good thing the horse was gentle. There were no facilities, and I was at considerable risk standing...
Birds, bees and basset puppies
We had just finished dinner and were supervising the girls as they cleaned up the dinner table when the telephone rang. Good evening, Doc,” said Sandi’s voice on the other end of the line. “I ho...
Rambo and the eagle
Walking down the fifth fairway at Pineway Golf Course, I was relieved that I could see the ball. “At least, I am not in the ditch,” I said to Jim Mechals as we parted toward our respective balls....
'A calf that needs a little repair' can mean a lot of things
"Doc, I think I have a calf that needs a little repair." Larry Coulter's voice came through the phone receiver. "What is the problem, Larry?" I asked. "One of the hind legs is not working quite...
Finding the needle in the briar patch impossible – or not
The rain was heavy and it was hard to see in the darkness. I was glad that I had put my rain pants and boots on when I left the house. I pulled on my raincoat as I stepped out of the truck. I was wet...
On-the-ground veterinary work sometimes question of who pays whom whome
Johnnie Miller was waiting at the old barn when I pulled off the road. I stopped in front of the structure. "I have her in the far side of the barn," Johnnie said, with some excitement in his voice. H...
Visit to vet assists in gentle exit for ageless Kitty
Ida was sitting in our waiting room, beside her daughter, waiting patiently with Kitty nestled in her lap. Ida was my oldest client, a tiny, frail old lady with snow-white hair. She lived by herself,...
Farmer's familiarity with his livestock pays off in early care
Editor's note: This article contains some explicit biological terminology. It was a late spring day with mostly blue sky, but some heavy dark clouds. Walt was waiting when Ruth and I pulled into his...
Harry's place more than just typical veterinarian's call
"Hi Doc, I'm glad you could come this morning," Harry said as he stepped out of the mobile home into the morning mist. "I have a couple of new calves with diarrhea. They are still up and around, but...
The battle of Ping-Li
It was the end of a busy afternoon and I leaned into the reception desk to check on what remained of the day. "I'm beat. How close to being done are we?" I asked. "You poor man," replied Sandy, my...
