Fall is here and we are all dealing with typical sickness in our animals. We are also dealing with some sickness amongst ourselves. Those that are around school age kids know all too well about this. All summer long the kids were at home and in different areas of the county.
Now they are brought together and co-mingled in classrooms and tight environments. Different contagions from all over the county are now in that classroom. And I doubt that the classroom has linear air movement to take them out of the area. So, the whole classroom starts coming down with these different contagions as immune systems drop their guards. Then these kids bring these contagions home to their other siblings and parents. Doesn’t this sound like something else we all know too well? This happens with co-mingling cattle at the sale barns, stocker yards and feedyards.
Now as these cattle are getting sick I have had a lot of calls with people wanting prescription medication to treat respiratory infections in cattle. Yes, it will probably take one of these drugs to get them over it. But, I also need to explain Federal and state laws restricting the sale and use of these medications.
Let’s say you have a calf that breaks with a respiratory infection, droopy ears, snotty nose and coughing. So, you go to the local feed store and see they do not have the drug you want to try and treat with. Your next step is to call the closest veterinarian. You politely tell him you have a calf with pneumonia and ask for a specific drug to treat him with. You have not had any animals to see this veterinarian for at least 1 to 2 months or maybe never.
Federal and state laws state that this veterinarian can only prescribe prescription medication when they have a valid client patient relationship, VCPR. This means that the veterinarian must have seen one of your animals and know your herd to allow you to use these drugs. Without this relationship the veterinarian can be brought up on charges of illegal distribution of prescription drugs. The punishment for this type of offense can be, loss of license, fines from $5,000 and up and may even include a trip to prison. Then after the federal court get’s done here is the state to do the same thing over for their side.
I know it does seem a little ridiculous for you to have your veterinarian look at this sick animal, but now you can see what type of laws and restrictions your veterinarian has to work under. But, all of us in agriculture are under the scrutiny of the public eye for misuse of medications and creating super infections in the human side.
Dr. Tim E. O’Neill owns Countryside Veterinary Clinic in Farmington, Ark.
