The weather has recently been perfect for calving. Perfect, as in, perfect for creating very cold and muddy calves. Tis’ the season I suppose. We love calving season. There is nothing more rewarding than correcting an improperly positioned calf and then helping a cow/heifer deliver a live calf.  They shake their wet little heads and get to work trying to stand; such strong-willed little creatures.

We get to see the best of the problem situations and would like to offer up a few tips to help you have a really successful calving season.

1.       Measure heifer pelvis size prior to breeding. This allows us to identify underdeveloped and undersized heifers and eliminate them from the potential breeding herd before they are allowed to cause problems.

2.       Vaccinate cows, heifers, and bulls prior to breeding. Modified-live vaccinations are very effective and vaccinating open females allows you to get all the benefit without having any concern about the potential side-effects.

3.       Limit your calving season to 60 days (or really close to it). Calving season requires a lot of time and very little sleep. Doing a really good job is hard work. The best way to use your time is to get your cows on a really condensed schedule. This will also pay dividends in a nice uniform calf crop.   

4.       Have your cows and heifers pregnancy tested. The ability to have your cows in a close-up lot will save time when there is a problem. Cows due to calve soon should be in an area where they can be easily caught and examined. Often times, a timely examination will save a calf’s life.

5.       Be prepared. I recommend having a calving bucket with necessary supplies. Here are the things we recommend you have on hand:

·         Head catch or at least a solid gate in the corner of a solid barn

·         2 calf chains and handles

·         OB Lube

·         Shoulder length sleeves

·         Iodine or chlorhexadine scrub

·         Tincture of iodine

·         Calf bottle with esophageal feeder and nipple

·         A bag of colostrum replacer or frozen colostrum

·         Towels

·         The comfort level to examine a cow and decide if she needs help, if you can provide the help she needs, or if             you need to call for back-up.

·         Phone number to your veterinarian. Timely action is essential.

 6.     If a cow stalls during labor, someone should examine her. Progress should be made at least every 30 minutes. Follow this link to a very good resource on progression of calving and how to help. http://beefcattle.ans.oregonstate.edu/html/publications/CSHandbook.htm

 7.     Proper post-calving care for the cow and calf is extremely important. The calf has to consume colostrum within 24 hours after birth. 12 hours is much more ideal. If for some reason a calf can’t consume colostrum from its mother, a colostrum REPLACER must be given. Be sure you are using a colostrum replacer and not just a supplement.  

8.     Dip the calf’s navel stump in concentrated iodine.

9.     Watch the pair closely to be sure the cow has plenty of milk and that she passes her afterbirth.

Hopefully these tips find you in the middle of a successful calving season. Green grass and summer grazing are just around the corner! 

This blog was written by Kacie Ulhorn, DVM

How many people out there believe that giving all the treats and table scraps that an animal wants,needs, or desires is a good habit?  If this is your belief then let me enlighten you. The quality of life for an overweight animal is not a good quality of life. Here are some problems that overweight animals are predisposed to:

·         Arthritis is worsened because of increased stress on joints.

·         Respiratory issues because it takes more work to move chest muscles.

·         Diabetes Mellitus which is an insulin resistance in cats.

·         Hepatic Lipidosis is caused when a cat becomes ill and goes off food. The liver is then under stress to                        mobilize fat for energy. The liver becomes overwhelmed with fat and can cause the liver to fail. At that time            a simple sickness can become a deadly illness. 

·         Increased surgical risks, because air exchange is more difficult.

All in all, the extra treats and table scraps are doing nothing but reducing your pet’s life span.  A recent study showed that a group of labs fed 20% less than there counterparts, lived 2 years longer, and were healthier If you could ask your pet what their favorite treat is, it has nothing to do with the food. It is all about getting your loving attention.  Show your love with walks and extra play, not extra food/treats.

Some breeds are more prone to becoming overweight; some of these are retriever breeds, terrier breeds and also some of the small hound breeds. All dogs and cats can become overweight regardless of breed.  A few ways to insure that this does not happen are to make sure your animal is getting the correct measured amount of food for their size. It is really important to pay attention to the feeding guidelines for their food. Making sure the kids or toddlers (or adults!) in the house are not offering up table scraps on a regular basis. An animal that has been spayed or neutered may have a little bit more likelihood of getting overweight so exercise is a good habit to get into.

 Just remember an obese pet is not a good thing. Let’s keep them happy and help prolong their lives. 

This blog was written by Wendy Heather

Something really exciting is happening at Hermann Veterinary Clinic! We now offer wellness plans! You might be thinking we have lost our minds to be so darn excited about this, but we want to give you the top 10 reasons Wellness Plans are the bee’s knees!

Drumroll Please……….

#10: You never have to wonder if you are doing what is best for your pet. We have several wellness plan options. Each is designed to keep up with the changing needs of your dog or cat as it ages. The wellness plans are groups of services that are the recommendations of our veterinarians to keep your pet healthy.  If you are a wellness plan member, you are doing what’s best!

#9: The reason we have designed wellness plans is for you, our patients and clients. Yep, that’s right, we did this for no other reason than we hope this makes doing what’s best for your pet easier for you.

#8: You get to choose how you want to pay for your pet’s wellness plan. All right up front, or easy-on-the budget monthly payments. We offer you the option to have the cost of the wellness plan deducted from your checking account. We hope this makes it easier to choose what is best for your pet and manage all of your other needs. We know you have a lot going on!

#7: Wellness plans include products to help prevent parasite infestation in your dog and cat. Easy peasy! No more missed doses of heartworm prevention because you have been too busy to stop in for your dog’s next dose. We really do get it, you are busy. We know you love your pet and we want to make it easier to do what is best for them.

#6: Puppy/kitten plans are the very best way to keep you right on track with all of the needs of a young pet.

#5: For senior pets, wellness plans include bloodwork. Our senior pets deserve all we’ve got.  After all, he is the one that has been your buddy the longest. Examinations are a fantastic way to find disease, and yearly bloodwork helps us find disease even earlier. As dogs and cats age, they are at an increased risk for many diseases, and that is why we include annual bloodwork in our wellness plans for senior pets.

#4: You get to be the bearer of wonderful news! We hope that when you see how great wellness plans are, you will tell your neighbor, your aunt, your cousins, and that guy that lets his dog poop in your yard. We want everyone to have a healthy pet to love……..for a really long time.

#3: It makes us really happy. We truly hope that this move makes veterinary care available to everyone!!

#2: Wellness plan members enjoy unlimited ½ price medical exams. This means if your pet gets ill or injured and needs veterinary care outside of wellness care (regular exams, preventative testing, and vaccinations), you pay ½ price for the office call fee!

#1: We believe this means your pet will live a longer and healthier life, and that is what unites us all. We know you love your pet and your relationship with him/her is really important.  Providing regular exams, parasite control, and disease prevention is the BEST way to extend your precious time with your pet.  

See?! Maybe we aren’t so crazy after all. Click on the wellness plan tabs, give us a call, or stop in and see us! We would love to give you the specifics of the wellness plan that best fits your lovable little furball. 

This blog was written by Dr. Kacie Ulhorn