On-Call / Vet

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), more commonly known as pinkeye, is one of the most common diseases of cattle, especially during the summer months. It is a highly contagious disease that causes inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva of the eye.  It can lead to ulceration of the cornea, giving the classic appearance of the white depression or ulcer that many cattle producers describe. Pinkeye results in mild to severe disease, and can cause blindness in an affected eye.

Recent weather conditions have raised several health problems for cattle producers. One of the most dramatic changes has been an increase in mastitis cases on dairy farms. Mastitis can be devastating to the economic well-being of a dairy operation, and successful treatment and control measures are needed to ensure financial stability, especially in the current economic environment.

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.

As spring approaches, many goat producers are preparing for the beginning of kidding season. One condition that producers may encounter as does enter their last trimester of pregnancy and near parturition (birthing) is ‘pregnancy toxemia’. This can be a life-threatening condition for some does and early recognition of this disease is paramount to providing successful treatment. This very same condition is also seen in sheep with similar clinical signs and treatment options.

As I prepare this column, it would appear there is at least a small reprieve from some of the economic gloom and doom of the past 6 months.  Now I understand that this does not take away from the fact that everyone’s input costs have jumped drastically over the past couple of years.  But it should get you to thinking of ways to maximize your production and more efficiently use your resources.

'Colic’ is a general term used to describe abdominal pain and is a clinical syndrome that is commonly recognized in horses. Colic can be caused by many different abnormalities occurring within the abdominal cavity of the horse. For horse owners it is advantageous to be familiar with the clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment options for colic as most horses will encounter this problem at some point in their lives.

In the last issue we discussed pinkeye as a major cause of disease in cattle during the summer months. Another problem that frequently presents itself in my chute during the summer is foot rot. I have seen numerous cases of foot rot in cattle this summer already. The disease is caused primarily by a bacterium called Fusobacterium necrophorum and is a significant cause of lameness in cattle – beef and dairy alike. Like pinkeye, mortality from the disease is generally absent but morbidity can get high with up to 25 percent of the herd affected in severe outbreaks. Foot rot can be a significant source of lost production. Cows that are lame from foot rot tend to lie around, eat less and produce less milk. Whether that milk is going into the bulk tank or into the calf, less milk means less money to the producer. Additionally, treatment costs and the occasional animal with unresolving lameness represent further economic loss due to the disease.

You’ve been training the cows to come into the catch pen for the past couple of weeks. You got your help all lined up. You’ve got the vet scheduled for the exact time you wanted to work cows. Everything appears ready to go work your herd. But wait-have you taken time to give your facilities an inspection? This may not be the first thing you think about when planning fall herd work, but it may be the most critical and important thing you can do to ensure an efficient and safe working day for your cattle, your help and yourself.

Well, it has finally warmed up.  And with three to four days of warm weather I have already started seeing flies on many of the cattle I work on daily.  So what are your options to control flies and other parasites to minimize the damage done to your cattle’s production? Let’s take a look at several options for both external and internal parasites.

Bloat is a condition that occurs when an excess amount of fermentation gasses become trapped within the rumen of an animal. This condition can occur in any ruminant species including beef and dairy cattle, sheep and goats. Bloat can occur very rapidly and can quickly become a life-threatening condition if not treated. There can be many different causes for bloat and the appropriate treatment is based on determining the underlying cause.