On-Call / Vet

Pinkeye is a costly disease to cattle owners and at this time of year, cattlemen seem to see the largest amount of affected animals.

The wet weather we have been dealing with for most of this year has brought with it several challenges for livestock producers throughout southwest Missouri. Wet and cold weather led to increased calf losses early this year, and wet fields have not allowed farmers to harvest hay crops that appear plentiful to the average person driving down the road. But I have observed another problem this year affecting horses and cattle. While I don’t have scientific proof or hard statistics to prove my theory, it is my opinion that I have had a number of cases where the problem seemed to stem from access to tall fescue, and I am concerned that fescue toxicosis could be a significant problem this year.

The holidays always result in multiple calls to my clinic. This is the time of year that pets get into trouble eating things they should not. One of the most common toxins that we encounter is chocolate. Small animals seem to really enjoy consuming candy including wrappers. Many candies contain the toxin known as theobromine. The bitter cooking chocolate is higher in theobromine than the sweet. This is such a common problem I have an app, which allows me to calculate in a matter of a few minutes. A 30-pound dog consuming 2 ounces of baking chocolate is enough to be fatal. If your pet should consume chocolate contact your veterinarian immediately.

While dealing with the ice and cold weather I have noticed our nutrition gurus are looking more and moiré into balancing rations of essential amino acids instead of protein. I ask the question “Is their requirement of protein for animals in their diet?” Actually “NO.” Animals must have the 10 essential amino acids and cats require 11 amino acids.

An outbreak of equine herpes virus has created quite a stir in the horse world recently. Several horses that attended the National Cutting Horse Association's Western National Championships in Ogden, Utah this May later developed neurologic signs and then tested positive for Equine Herpesvirus-1. Several shows have subsequently been cancelled, some farms have been quarantined and a few of the affected horses unfortunately euthanized as a result of the outbreak.

Many times clients ask about treatment for Fescue foot, but after several questions and upon physical exams, they are asking for a treatment for the wrong problem. There are major differences between Fescue toxicosis and foot rot.

There are several tools available for cow/calf producers that can lead to a decrease in one of the primary problems seen in neonatal calves – diarrhea. Diarrhea is a leading cause of mortality in baby calves and has many causes.

Flies are a well known and common pest to most all classes of livestock. With heat and humidity, flies thrive and this makes summer in the Ozarks a prime environment for fly populations. Economic losses can be substantial, particularly in beef and dairy cattle. In cattle, flies can cause production losses in the way of reduced weight gain, lowered milk production and the transmission of disease.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is arguably the most economically significant health concern for the beef cattle industry. Shipping Fever, respiratory disease complex and pneumonia are all common synonyms used to describe BRD. Given its significance, there is a wealth of information available regarding the condition. The purpose of this article will be to provide a general overview and a basic understanding of BRD and the diagnostic and treatment tools available to cattle producers as well as currently recommended prevention strategies.

Warm temperatures and plenty of moisture has brought on lots of lush, green grazing for all classes of livestock in the Ozarks this spring. For horse owners however, the excessive pasture forage brings with it a heightened concern over laminitis and founder.