Four State Veterinary Services

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Four State Veterinary Services

Four State Veterinary Services covers the state of DE, eastern MD, southeastern PA, and southern NJ!
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11/07/2024

Four State Update! Learn more about Four State Veterinary Services!

Today is the one-year anniversary of the founding of Four State Veterinary Services! What a year it has been!!! I am incredibly grateful for the support of my family and friends, the veterinary community, and especially the clients who have trusted me with the care of their animals. I would not be able to do what I am doing without you, and I am SO excited to continue working with you and celebrating many more anniversaries!

A few numbers to highlight for the year:

4 States+
19 Counties+
270 Clients+
784 Farm Calls=
1 INCREDIBLE YEAR

Thank you, sincerely, for letting me do what I love.
-Dr. Mike

10/28/2024

Four State Update! Learn more about Four State Veterinary Services!

Over the last week, some of you may have noticed that Four State Veterinary Services has had a bit of an upgrade! Shout out to the previous practice vehicle- it got me far and covered a lot of ground, making lots of great connections! But this newest addition…well- just look 😍

This was all made possible by to the Rural Practice Enhancement Grant, a grant offered through the United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA). Four State Veterinary Services is a proud recipient of the 2024 award (one of 19 practices nationwide), and the first and only practice in the state of Delaware to receive such an honor. The Rural Practice Enhancement Grant is awarded to practices across the United States that serve areas deemed underserved for veterinary care. As a practice that strictly provides services to food and fiber animal species in a full-time capacity, Four State Veterinary Services travels across the entire state of Delaware which is considered an underserved area. This grant has helped to provide the new vehicle and box to go with it and will soon provide an x-ray machine! All with the end goal of serving you and your animals!

We service the entire state of Delaware, southeastern Pennsylvania, eastern Maryland, and southern New Jersey. Need to establish a lasting relationship with a veterinarian to care for your animals? Know someone who has animals but doesn't have a veterinarian? Don't wait until it's emergency! . 4statevet.com. Call or text- 302-229-4297.

10/17/2024

Four State Update! Learn more about Four State Veterinary Services!

Four State Veterinary Services was happy to host the future Dr. Makayla Stone, the second extern from Penn Vet (shout out to future Dr. Kate Marciano, V’25, who was the first extern!) to join Dr. Mike on the road for two weeks of fun!

Dr. Mike is an award-winning educator who worked in academic practice for the first 8 years of his career. He has a passion for teaching students and has hosted students from Conrad Schools of Science, Penn Foster, University of Delaware, Lincoln University of PA, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, and Penn Vet. The clients and patients of Four State Veterinary Services have been so wonderful and welcoming of all the students who are gaining invaluable experience on the road and for that we are all VERY thankful!

Enjoy some pictures of Makayla and some of her experiences! Students- interested in gaining hands on experience in food and fiber animal practice? Feel free to contact us at [email protected]! Check out our website- 4statevet.com.

09/30/2024

Four State Update! Learn more about Four State Veterinary Services!

The establishing appointment is incredibly important to Four State Veterinary Services. It’s a time for Dr. Mike to get to know you, your animals, and your set up! This appointment strengthens the Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship and really allows Dr. Mike to become part of the care team. You will be asked all sorts of questions about your animals, covering everything from what they eat and where they live to what health issues they’ve had in the past and what vaccines they have received! And the animals, of course, will be seen that day 😊.

Have you had your establishing appointment yet? !

Now, enjoy this cutie at her establishing appointment!

09/18/2024

Four State Update! Learn more about Four State Veterinary Services!

It's that time of year again- breeding season for sheep and goats! Did you know that (most) sheep and goat breeds are seasonal breeders? We consider them "short day" breeders meaning that they are most receptive to breeding as the days get shorter. It all has to do with melatonin! So, if your females are starting to scream more (you know what I'm talking about, goat owners) and become more...friendly...that's why!

Want to know if your animals are pregnant? Four State Veterinary Services can help you out! Why have to draw blood, ship it, and wait for a result when you can have an ULTRASOUND and see the little ones for yourself! Four State Veterinary Services offers ultrasound for pregnancy or diagnostic purposes and can help give you some peace of mind about what to expect when (your animal) is expecting 🥰🐑🐐🦙🐄🐂🐪🐖🥰

Please enjoy Nebbie and her little one 😁 (Photo courtesy of their owner!)

08/12/2024

Four State Update! Learn more about Four State Veterinary Services!

I get a lot of calls concerning what animals Four State Veterinary Services will see for appointments and what kind of practice I operate. I run a 100% ambulatory, full-time food and fiber animal practice.

What does this mean? This means that I see beef and dairy cattle, sheep, goats, pigs (both production and pet), llamas, alpacas, camels, chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, and emus. Being full-time, it means that I see appointments Monday through Friday all day long. Emergency service and phone consultation is available to established clientele! And the ambulatory part means that I come to you: I strictly do farm and/or house calls! And remember, the "Four State" in the name is accurate- I travel the entire state of Delaware, eastern Maryland, southeastern Pennsylvania, and southern New Jersey covering 23 counties across 4 states!

As my motto goes- don't wait until it's an emergency to meet your veterinarian! It's expensive, stressful, and often unrewarding for all involved! Get established today, and tell anyone you know who might need that advice 😀

Thanks to all my wonderful clients for the pictures of my patients! I have some of the best clients around and I'm honored to work with you all!

07/15/2024

Four State Update! Learn more about Four State Veterinary Services!

Four State Veterinary Services does not see emergencies for non-established clientele. Why? First, it's a safety concern- especially when calls are received after dark, I prefer to only visit farms I have been to in the daylight! Second, my clients ALWAYS come first- if you are a client, emergencies will be prioritized, and regular appointments will be shifted. But shifting daytime client appointments to see non-client emergencies or being unavailable for evening emergencies when regular clients call due to non-client emergencies is not acceptable.

Remember, your animals may be fine right now, but they WILL get sick, injured, or have a problem at some point in the future. Also, veterinary care is not transferred to you once you purchase an animal that previously had veterinary care- you must become established as the new owner! Waiting until you desperately need help is stressful for you, me, and the animal, not to mention expensive!!

So please- share this post with friends, family, coworkers, people you are selling animals to, groups where people are asking for veterinary help...don't wait until it's an emergency!!! Get established today by calling or texting 302-229-4297, emailing [email protected], or checking out the website at 4statevet.com.

Photo: Practice area as of Feb 2024 vs. Jul 2024. The more clients in an area, the more I'm in that area and the closer I am to you if you have an emergency

07/08/2024

Four State Update! Learn more with Four State Veterinary Services!

As I continue to encounter parasite cases every day ('tis the season!), I find it more and more important to keep providing information about parasite control! Today's topic: proper dewormer use! Mainly, what you SHOULD NOT be using for your sheep, goat, or alpaca/llama! Check out the pictures below!

But WHY can’t I use these?

1. RESISTANCE DEVELOPMENT! This is the main reason for not using ANY horse dewormer paste, cattle/swine injectable products, or cattle topical products. Appropriate dosing is key to avoiding parasite resistance.

2. Proper Dosing! Unless you are weighing the animals and calculating their individual dose based on both the recommended dose for that species and the concentration of the medication, you are not dosing these products correctly! Think about it, that horse tube may be made to dose at 250 pound increments- how do you treat that 25 pound Nigerian Dwarf without some calculating? Improper dosing = RESISTANCE!

3. Harsh Chemicals! Have you ever smelled those topical products made for cattle? They smell like something you don’t want in the mouth! These products may cause damage to the esophagus (and trachea, if some goes down the wrong pipe!) and may cause damage in the stomach, as well!

4. NOT Formulated for Absorption in the Gut! This applies to injectable products given orally and topical products given orally. They are not made to absorb through the stomach and may not completely absorb. Decreased absorption of the medication = low dose = RESISTANCE!

5. ILLEGAL. If there is a product made for your sheep or goat, and you use a product made for cows or pigs, it is technically illegal. Although there aren’t many products specifically made for goats, we NEED to use products made for sheep. There are no products made for alpacas and llamas, but it is recommended to use sheep and goat products over cattle and pig products.

Remember, the number one way to treat those pesky GI parasites in sheep and goats is by using one of the oral dewormers shown below! It is not recommended to give injectable dewormer or topical dewormer, even when used appropriately, to sheep, goats, alpacas and llamas to treat GI worms!

Need more assistance? Start working with a veterinarian today! ’twait

07/04/2024

Feel Good Fourth of July with Four State Veterinary Services!

Whether you're sporting your 'Merica Mullet, munching on your favorite snacks, or just relaxing the day away, Four State Veterinary Services wishes you and yours a very HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!! 🇺🇸🎉🎆

06/24/2024

Four State Update! Learn more about Four State Veterinary Services!

Over these last few days, Dr. Mike has been attending a major veterinary conference. Not only was he gaining valuable knowledge to bring back to you and your animals, but he was also speaking to his peers about small ruminants. Dr. Mike is a board-certified specialist who speaks nationally and internationally on all things sheep, goats, and camelids. His specialty with the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Food Animal Practice) extends into beef cattle, dairy cattle, and swine as well. When you partner with Four State Veterinary Services for your animal's care, you get a veterinarian with a wealth of knowledge, a drive to constantly learn more, and years of specialty training specifically honed to take care of your food and fiber animals- whether they be pets or production animals!

If you have animals, you need a good relationship with a veterinarian! Don't wait until it's an emergency, get established today! !

06/10/2024

Four State Update! Learn more with Four State Veterinary Services!

Four State Veterinary Services is back in action after a brief vacay 😊. And good thing, too, because parasite season is in FULL SWING! Now, I know there have been several posts already concerning parasites in sheep, goats, and camelids but I can't stress enough the importance of this topic! Barber Pole Worm resistance is REAL and DEADLY! Why is it such a problem? The old mentality of deworming all animals on farm as often as possible with regular frequency still persists today and coupled with regular rotation of dewormer types has created the perfect and almost indestructible parasite. And if you've battled the Barber Pole, you know just how devasting it can be!

So, this summer between the beach trips and poolside fun, FAMACHA score your animals and monitor their body condition scores! And only deworm your animals if completely necessary! Follow the helpful instructions on dosing provided by the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control's dewormer charts (link: https://www.wormx.info/single-post/dewormer-charts-updated) - images provided 🙂.

And as always, don't wait until it's an anemia emergency! Get established with a veterinarian today! .

06/04/2024

Four State Update!

Four State Veterinary Services will be closed June 4th through June 8th! Any emergencies should be directed to the nearest 24-hour emergency hospital (New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, PA). Don't hesitate to reach out with non-emergent matters or to become an established client- Dr. Mike will be back on the road June 10th! !

05/20/2024

Four State Update! Learn more with Four State Veterinary Services!

Let’s keep talking parasites! As parasite season pushes forward, it’s important to talk about treatment options. There are many myths and inaccuracies when it comes to using dewormers and with these products readily available over the counter, this can be dangerous for your herd or flock! So, let’s dive into some common questions and even more common inappropriate practices.

1. The most common question when it comes to dewormers: what’s the best dewormer to use for my animals? ANSWER: it’s far more complicated than that! There is no such thing as “the best dewormer for all farms”. Instead, dewormer efficacy is completely farm and even animal specific. Remember that resistance development is associated with overuse of dewormers and parasites surviving the therapeutic dose of the dewormer. Even if one worm survives the deworming, that worm can create a whole generation of worms that will survive when that dewormer is used again. So, if you have animals from lots of different farms, they may have worms with all sorts of different resistant parasites. Moral of the story: there’s no one size fits all “best” dewormer!

2. Almost all dewormers DO NOT require an additional dose to be given. It’s been common to hear people recommend giving a follow up dose of dewormer at 10, 12, or 14 days after the initial dose. This is not necessary. The only dewormers that are recommended for multi-day use are the “white wormers” (fenbendazole- Safeguard or Panacur and albendazole- Valbazen) and it is typically recommended to use daily for up to 3 days. All other dewormers are best used with a “one treatment and done” model in mind!

3. This was mentioned in another post recently but should be mentioned again! When selecting a dewormer for sheep, goats, alpacas, and llamas, it is important to use ONLY products that are made to go orally AND made for sheep and goats. Using an injectable cattle or swine product orally or a topical cattle product orally is not appropriate for sheep, goats, alpacas, or llamas.

4. To round out the discussion, rotating dewormers is a practice that was formerly recommended to try and fight resistance. We now recognize that this practice leads to resistance in ALL the dewormers being used in rotation much faster! So, use a dewormer until it stops working! How do you know it’s working? FECALS!!! Run them yourself or have your veterinarian run them for you. If you are using dewormers on your animals, you should be running f***ls before the dewormer is used and then doing a follow up f***l 10-14 days later! This is the ONLY way we can really know how well a dewormer is working.

5. Oh! And. NEVER BLANKET DEWORM. This means that the entire flock or herd should never be given dewormer at the same time. This goes for entire groups of animals as well- for example, if you deworm all animals after they give birth (another inappropriate practice) and 8/10 of your animals give birth that year, you are blanket deworming! Remember, 20% of your animals carry 80% of the parasites!

Need more info? Check out the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control and their website (wormx.info). If you don't have a veterinarian as parasite season continues to ramp up, !!!!! Don't wait until it's a parasite emergency!!!

Photos: McMaster slide used to count f***l eggs and get an accurate number down to 50 eggs per gram. A FAMACHA score card- FAMACHA score as much as possible this summer!

05/17/2024

Feel Good Friday with Four State Veterinary Services!

Had some helpers during some surgeries last week. Spoiler alert, they were a little less than helpful 😂 Turns out emus don't make the best surgical techs...

05/13/2024

Four State Update! Learn more with Four State Veterinary Services!

We're entering show season, so it's time to get those Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) forms (also known as health papers or health certificates). This may seem like a formality, but did you know that this is one of the only ways to have disease surveillance and protect your animals from getting sick at the show or fair? Here are some helpful tips when it comes to CVIs!

1. GET ESTABLISHED WITH A VETERINARIAN! If you don't have a regular veterinarian, but you have show animals, you are taking a big risk. It may be challenging to get a veterinarian to the farm, especially on short notice (procrastination, forgot you needed a CVI, life got busy...it happens to all of us!). If you have a regular relationship with your veterinarian and procrastination happens, you'll likely be covered! *Not all veterinarians can write health certificates for livestock! Make sure that your veterinarian is class II accredited and therefore qualified to do this for you*!

2. DON'T WAIT! Yes, life happens and sometimes we procrastinate as mentioned above. But don't wait until the day before you have to leave to get a CVI! This especially applies to sending animals across state lines, like in the case they have been sold to a new home. Some states require additional diagnostic testing or entry permits to come into that state, and these can take several days to process! CVIs are good for 30 days, so you have wiggle room- try to put it on your radar to visit with your vet at least a week before the show/transport!

3. What's the veterinarian even looking for? Signs of infectious or contagious disease! This can include obvious external signs like ringworm, warts, lice, visible tapeworm segments in the manure, and lameness but also includes deeper internal problems such as pneumonia. If the animal is sick, it CANNOT be transported. No exceptions.

4. Finally, CVIs are legal documents. They should only be filled out by a veterinarian or veterinary technician (under the supervision of a veterinarian). Legally, there is no such thing as "pre-signed" CVIs for the client to fill in later. Remember, the veterinary inspections of your animals and these documents are meant to keep your animals safe!

It's always important to keep your animal's health in mind. If they get sick before a show or intended transport, keep them home! Even if they were healthy at the time of the CVI!

Now, enjoy this beautiful girl getting her examination!

05/07/2024

Four State Update! Learn more about Four State Veterinary Services!

Yesterday marked the 6-month anniversary for Four State Veterinary Services being on the road! It has been an amazing 6 months full of interesting cases, lots of different patients, and clients that truly care deeply for their animals. I am honored to have the opportunity to serve this area and work with the people I get to work with every day! I look forward to continuing to provide high-quality veterinary care and act as a resource for my clients for years to come! THANK YOU to everyone who has supported me and this practice along the way, I look forward to the adventures to come and the bonds that we will form!

Need a veterinarian? Know someone who's looking? Maybe you just know a friend that has animals and would benefit from a relationship with a veterinarian! Don't wait until it's an emergency, get established with a veterinarian today!

Enjoy some memories from the last 6 months 😊

05/03/2024

Feel Good Friday with Four State Veterinary Services!

It's cute selfie time! Yes, there are three goats in this picture. Clearly one of them did not get the memo on what we were doing...😂

04/30/2024

Four State Update! Learn more with Four State Veterinary Services!

To everyone's relief, the temperatures are rising! But you know what that means. It's parasite season!😱 And what's the scariest parasite of all? Haemonchus contortus, or the Barber's Pole Worm (Barber Pole, for short!). Why so scary, you ask? This parasite is a blood sucker, and a very prolific egg producer. The more parasites you have, the more blood loss you have. No blood = no life...and Barber Pole can take them out QUICK! Also, Barber Pole has developed resistance in some capacity to EVERY dewormer on the market. If that's not scary enough- the hotter it gets, the more this parasite thrives...so buckle in, we're only at the beginning.

Some quick helpful hints:
1. MONITOR your animals. FAMACHA scoring is a helpful way to routinely monitor your animals for anemia (from the parasites sucking blood). During peak season, ideally it should be performed weekly! Other signs of Barber Pole include weight loss and a soft, squishy swelling under the jaw (submandibular edema AKA bottle jaw). Diarrhea can occur but remember, death may come before diarrhea with Barber Pole infection!!!

2. DO NOT BLANKET DEWORM! What does this mean? Well, the common thought is "one has a lot of worms, so they all must". Did you know that 20% of the population carries 80% of the parasites? So, if you deworm the entire group, the majority of the animals didn't even need it! Resistance to dewormer is rampant among Barber Pole Worms, mainly due to overuse! Don't contribute to resistance- there's no such thing as a "dewormer schedule" for your sheep, goats, or camelids!

3. USE SHEEP/GOAT SPECIFIC DEWORMERS! Using horse paste dewormers, injectable cattle/pig dewormers orally, or topical cattle dewormers orally is NOT appropriate for your sheep, goats, or camelids. The ability of the dewormer to kill the parasite is decreased when using these products- this just contributes to resistance!

4. Last but not least, AVOID OVERCROWDING! The more animals, the more parasites. Too many animals on your pastures is a recipe for disaster.

There's so much more information than a Facebook post can do justice! Check out wormx.info (American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control) for all your parasite needs! And, as always, establish a relationship with your veterinarian today! Don't wait until it's a parasite emergency! .

Photos courtesy of wormx.info 😁

Address

P. O. Box 241
Bear, DE
19701

Telephone

+13022294297

Website

http://4statevet.com/

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