Animal Clinic, LLC

06/21/2024

Interested in horse nutrition? Join us on Monday evenings in July to learn about managing your horse's diet, optimizing for performance, and more! Talks are from 6 to 7:15 PM on Monday nights in July at the Adams-Atkinson classroom at the Equine Center (735 S. Overland Trail, Fort Collins, CO 80521). They are free to attend but we encourage you to pre-register here:
https://colostate.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0izabAlUk0XX2LA

06/20/2024

As we head into a HOT weekend, keep these great tips in mind to keep your horse safe!

As temperatures keep climbing, here is your reminder to pay close attention to signs of heat stress in your horse this summer. ☀️🐴

Signs of heat stroke may range from mild to severe and life-threatening. Foals usually cannot take as much heat as adult horses. A mare may be fine, but her foal may be getting sick from being out on a hot day. Horses with heavy muscling or excess fat or in poor condition will have more problems. Keep in mind that exercise is a major source of body heat and that strenuous work on a hot, humid day can lead to problems in a short period of time for even the best-conditioned horse.

Does this mean you should not ride on a hot day? Not necessarily. It just means you should take precautions and use your common sense. Remain vigilant for dehydration and signs of heat exhaustion, as heat exhaustion should not be underestimated and can advance to heat stroke quickly. Above all, be kind and attentive to your equine partner’s need. If you feel hot, they feel hotter. So if they look tired—it’s time for a drink, a cold bath, and a break in the shade.

As always, consult your primary veterinarian for more tips tailored to your specific horse’s situation! Read more about heat stroke on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/heat-stroke

06/18/2024

🐎Is your horse shed off yet this year? If not, it may be time for a vet visit!

Let's talk about all things Equine Cushings Disease this week.

Most people know that a non-shedding, or slow to shed hair coat can be a sign of Equine Cushings Disease (aka Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction or PPID), but many people don't know what Cushings is.

Equine Cushings starts in the pituitary gland, a small gland that sits at the base of the horse's brain. In horses with Equine Cushings, part of that gland becomes enlarged, either with normal tissue or with a benign tumor. That enlarged part of the gland over-produces a hormone called ACTH, which then ultimately causes an over-production of cortisol (stress hormone) from the adrenal glands.

Excess cortisol suppresses the immune system and makes horses more prone to infections, can cause the horse to urinate and drink more than usual, causes weight regulation issues, disrupts hair shedding, and can cause insulin dysregulation which may make horses more prone to laminitis (founder).

Even if your horse sheds his hair coat well, there are other, earlier and more subtle signs of Cushings to look out for:

-Difficulty regulating weight (either too thin or too heavy)
-Muscle loss (especially top line loss or pot-bellied appearance)
-Repeated infections like tooth or hoof abscesses
-Laminitis without another obvious explanation
-Drinking or urinating excessively
-Not shedding or being slow to shed (this often starts with longer than normal guard hairs around the muzzle or legs)

Testing for Cushings done by blood test, either to look for the baseline ACTH levels or a TRH stimulation test. Your vet can guide you as to which one is the best choice for your horse.

Equine Cushings Disease can be well-managed with medication which can greatly improve quality of life and help mitigate some of the negative effects of the disease.

If you notice your horse has any of the signs listed above, please call to have your horse seen by one of our doctors!

06/01/2024

Full limb bandages on horses can be challenging to apply, but very helpful for so many cases! We use bandages like this to treat swollen legs (from conditions like trauma, cellulitis, and even lymphangitis) and to cover wounds at or above the knee/hock. This video from the AAEP is a great refresher/tutorial on the technique.

Remember, if you are ever concerned about a wound, a swollen leg, or lameness, we're here to help get your horse on the road to healing ASAP!

05/21/2024

Great info from the AAEP on when to call for emergencies!

05/16/2024

Let's talk about bladder stones in our small ruminant friends- sheep and goats! 🐐🐑

Bladder stones are more common in small ruminants than in our other livestock species. They don't typically cause clinical problems in sheep and goats as long as they stay in the bladder or there are extremely large amounts of them. It's when they leave the bladder that they tend to cause problems.

When bladder stones are pushed out of the bladder they may become stuck in the urethra, which is the tube that urine travels through to exit the body when an animal p*es. If a stone blocks the flow of urine from the urethra, the animal first becomes uncomfortable, then very painful, and can eventually die due to rupture of the bladder or buildup of potassium and other toxins in the blood, which causes heart rhythm problems in excessive amounts. If an animal can't p*e this is a medical emergency!

While this disease can occur in male and female sheep and goats, the urethra of females is wider and straighter, making them much less susceptible to blockage vs males. Castrated males are at higher risk for this disease because testosterone creates a wider urethra, so the lack of testosterone may make them more prone to a narrowed urethra.

What can you do to prevent this disease in your animals?

-🌾First, consider decreasing or eliminating alfalfa hay and grain from the animal's diet (especially males and castrated males). The extra calcium in alfalfa and phosphorus in grain make animals more prone to stone formation, as these minerals end up in the urine. If they are present in high enough amounts, they precipitate out of the urine and form stones.

- 💦 Second, make sure your animals have ample access to fresh, unfrozen water. Ideally the water should be heated in the winter to encourage consumption. Proper hydration helps dilute the urine and make stones less likely to form

-⚡ Ensure your animals have access to mineral (species specific) and salt to encourage hydration. You may consider adding salt to the hay as well

-✂️ Consider delaying castration until 6 months or later, especially for animals that are pets. Generally this requires surgical castration, as the testicles are too large for banding beyond the first few weeks of age.

Most importantly, if you ever suspect your animal may not be able to p*e, call for immediate veterinary care! Signs to look for are stretching out repeatedly as though to p*e and nothing or very little urine coming out, urinating in small, frequent amounts, straining or contracting through the abdomen, vocalizing while trying to p*e, acting lethargic, and being off feed.

You can read more here: https://www.acvs.org/large-animal/urolithiasis-in-small-ruminants/

05/09/2024

Despite the weather we've been having this week, Spring has sprung and so has the Spring grass! While most horses love getting out into the blooming pastures, beware that all those Spring grasses carry a risk of laminitis with them.

Laminitis (aka Founder) is a disease of the feet in horses where the lamina becomes inflamed. The lamina is the soft tissue that holds the coffin bone inside the hoof to the front of the hoof wall. When this soft tissue becomes inflamed it causes a great deal of pain for the horse and can lead to permanent damage to the delicate blood supply of the foot and the coffin bone itself. In the most severe cases the lamina can lose their attachment completely and put the horse at risk of having the coffin bone come through the bottom of the foot.

Risk factors for laminitis include metabolic diseases like Equine Metabolic Syndrome, Insulin Resistance, Equine Cushings Disease, and consumption of excessive amounts of sugar in the diet- this is where spring grass comes in! Because it is immature it tends to be much higher in sugar than more mature grasses.

When introducing horses to Spring grass, do so slowly to allow them to adjust to it- start with 15-20 minutes per day and increase by 5-10 minutes per day until they are out for whatever period of time you want them turned out for.

If your horse is overweight, has metabolic disease, Cushings, or has had previous laminitis episodes, we recommend waiting to turn them out until the grasses are more mature later in the year or keeping them on a dry lot.

04/30/2024

Is your horse up to date on vaccines, deworming, and teeth?

Spring is a great time to make sure your horse is protected from disease with appropriate vaccines. ALL horses are at risk for exposure to Rabies, West Nile virus, Tetanus, and Equine Encephalitis, even if they live in the back 40 and never leave the property.

An exam with a veterinarian can also help identify risk factors and early signs of diseases like EOTRH, Cushings disease, and laminitis.

04/22/2024

Please join us in celebrating veterinary receptionist week! We so appreciate all of our amazing receptionists for being the first smiling faces our clients see and keeping the clinic running smoothly day in and day out. If you get to see or talk to one of these ladies this week please let them know how much you appreciate all their hard work!

04/16/2024

We are looking to add another full-time small animal registered veterinary technician to our team! The position will be for four days per week, and one Saturday per month.

Candidates must be a registered veterinary technician in the state of Colorado. We would prefer at least 1 year of clinical experience, but we will also consider a new graduate.

We offer benefits including 2 weeks paid vacation, 6 personal days, health care plan, continuing education stipend, and matching IRA retirement plan.

Hourly rate is based on experience.

Please message if interested in this position, and we will provide an email to submit a resume.

04/15/2024

How do you know when to call the vet if your animal is delivering a baby?!

Sometimes it's hard to know what is normal and what is cause for concern when it comes to the birthing process!

🐎 Horses: mares should deliver their foals within 30 minutes of breaking their water. Call the vet immediately if:
-You don't see significant progress 10-15 minutes after the water breaking or if progress stalls/stops call your vet immediately.
-If you do not see two hooves followed by a nose
-If the mare does not pass her placenta within three hours of delivery

🐑🐐 Sheep and goats:
-You should see significant progress within 30 minutes of the water breaking and every 30 minutes thereafter.
-Call if the water bag is visible but does not break within 30 minutes
-As with horses, if you don't see two feet followed by a nose
-If there are multiple babies, the doe or ewe may rest for 30 minutes or so between deliveries
-Unlike horses, ewes and does may not pass the placenta right away- call if the placenta has not been passed within 12-18 hours after delivery

🐄 Cattle: Our rules for cattle are similar to sheep and goats
- The calf should be delivered within 2-3 hours of the water bag becoming visible
- As with small ruminants, significant progress towards delivery should be seen every 30 minutes.
-Two feet followed by a nose should be seen, as with our other species. If you don't see this please call!
-The placenta should be passed within 12-18 hours following delivery

04/09/2024

Did you know⁉️

Most of our large animal species (horses🐎, cattle🐄, sheep🐑, and goats 🐐) are born without any antibodies to protect them from infectious diseases.

Unlike other species where antibodies from the mother's blood cross the placenta to the baby before birth, large animals rely on colostrum consumed after birth to get their antibodies. Without antibodies babies are extremely prone to severe infections that can be life-threatening.

This is why it is so important for large animal neonates to nurse and drink colostrum from their mothers in the first few hours after birth. After about 8-12 hours of age, their intestines start to lose the ability to absorb antibodies.

This is also why we recommend a well- baby exam within the first 12-24 hours of birth (especially for foals), or an immediate exam for any new baby that is not standing, nursing, and vigorous. An IgG test in horses can be run stall side on the foal's blood to ensure they received adequate antibodies from their mother. If that didn't happen, the sooner we intervene the better we can help protect that baby from serious infections. In ruminant species (cattle, sheep, and goats), the blood protein levels can be checked to ensure that adequate colostrum was consumed and absorbed.

04/01/2024

🐴 Foaling season is here! Do you know the 1-2-3 rule?

Normal foals should:
1- Stand within 1 hour of birth
2- Nurse within 2 hours of birth
3- Mare should pass her placenta within 3 hours of birth

We recommend a well- baby exam for your mare and foal 12-24 hours after birth. This allows us to to check their blood antibody levels to ensure they received adequate colostrum transfer, identify and implement a treatment plan for any issues your foal may have, and make sure your mare is comfortable and healthy.

Have a foal born on the weekend? Our doctors are available to do these exams on an on-call basis too, just call the clinic and follow the prompts to reach the on-call doctor.

If your foal doesn't follow these parameters, or otherwise appears to not be vigorous and thriving after birth please call us immediately! Foals deteriorate quickly, and prompt treatment can mean the difference between a healthy baby and one that requires intensive treatment.

04/01/2024

We love giving back to our community!

Sponsor Highlight of the Week:

Animal Clinic LLC from Ft. Lupton is a new sponsor of the Weld County Fair Royalty. Welcome to the Weld County Fair Family and Thank You for your generous sponsorship of our WCF Royalty Court!

Animal Clinic, LLC

02/29/2024

We are currently looking for a new team member for our large animal clinic. The job is for a veterinary assistant or veterinary technician. Prefer applicants have equine handling experience. This is a fulltime position with health benefits, IRA contribution, etc. Please email resumes to [email protected]

01/26/2024

Reminder that February is National Equine Dental month!

We will once again be offering a discount on equine dental floats. This year the dental special will run from now-February 29th, 2024.

EQUINE DENTAL HEALTH:
Horses with dental problems may or may not show obvious signs of pain, irritation or discomfort. This is because some horses simply adapt to their discomfort. For this reason, periodic dental examinations performed by your equine veterinarian are essential to your horse’s health. It is important to catch dental problems early and address them before they become severe.

The following are indicators of dental problems from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) to know when to seek veterinary attention for your horse:
1. Loss of feed from mouth while eating, difficulty with chewing, or excessive salivation.
2. Loss of body condition.
3. Large or undigested feed particles (long stems or whole grain) in manure.
4. Head tilting or tossing, bit chewing, tongue lolling, fighting the bit, or resisting bridling.
5. Poor performance, such as lugging on the bridle, failing to turn or stop, even bucking.
6. Foul odor from mouth or nostrils, or traces of blood from the mouth.
7. Nasal discharge or swelling of the face, jaw or mouth tissues.
Please call today to schedule 303-857-6671. $175 per horse which includes physical and oral exam and sedation for the float.

01/11/2024

February is National Equine Dental month!

We will once again be offering a discount on equine dental floats. This year the dental special will run from January 15th-February 29th, 2024.

EQUINE DENTAL HEALTH:
Horses with dental problems may or may not show obvious signs of pain, irritation or discomfort. This is because some horses simply adapt to their discomfort. For this reason, periodic dental examinations performed by your equine veterinarian are essential to your horse’s health. It is important to catch dental problems early and address them before they become severe.

The following are indicators of dental problems from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) to know when to seek veterinary attention for your horse:
1. Loss of feed from mouth while eating, difficulty with chewing, or excessive salivation.
2. Loss of body condition.
3. Large or undigested feed particles (long stems or whole grain) in manure.
4. Head tilting or tossing, bit chewing, tongue lolling, fighting the bit, or resisting bridling.
5. Poor performance, such as lugging on the bridle, failing to turn or stop, even bucking.
6. Foul odor from mouth or nostrils, or traces of blood from the mouth.
7. Nasal discharge or swelling of the face, jaw or mouth tissues.

Please call today to schedule 303-857-6671. $175 per horse which includes physical and oral exam and sedation for the float.

12/19/2023

The clinic will be closed for an extended lunch today from 12- 2pm so that our staff can enjoy our company holiday party. Thank you for your understanding!

12/15/2023

Great practical information courtesy of the horse doctors at Barrow Veterinary Service:

NORMAL: NOT JUST A SETTING ON THE DRYER!
If your horse seems a little "off," do you know what his "normal" is? One of the best ways you can determine if your horse is ill is to know his normal vitals—temperature, breaths per minute, heart rate, and capillary refill time. If they are outside the normal range, a call to your equine veterinarian is definitely warranted! Any refusal to eat a meal or to get up from a recumbent position is also a clue that you and your equine friend need assistance.

12/14/2023

Congratulations to our newest Registered Veterinary Technician, Claudia! We are so excited to have her on our team serving our large animal clients and patients! Claudia has been working with us for a few months now, but recently passed her national board exam to become a Registered Veterinary Technician. We are so lucky to have such a smart, talented team of support staff helping the clinic run smoothly. When you see her in the field with us please give her a warm welcome!

12/08/2023

Contagious Respiratory diseases- Kennel Cough or Canine Respiratory Disease Complex

We suggest caution rather than worry. Periodic outbreaks of Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC) can occur in dog populations. There are multiple viruses and bacteria that have been linked as causes of CIRDC, which is transmitted by respiratory droplets, direct dog-to-dog contact and possibly contaminated surfaces.

Respiratory signs typically present 2-3 days following exposure but can be up to 10 days later depending upon the pathogen. These include coughing, sneezing, eye and/or nose discharge, and lethargy. If your dog is showing any of these signs, please contact us to schedule an appointment.

Most dogs, especially those vaccinated against respiratory illness, tend to experience mild clinical signs with coughing that lasts between 7-10 days. Most recently, the course of disease seems different than usual. Some dogs have continued coughing for several weeks. Although pneumonia can occur in cases of CIRDC, this year the number of pneumonia cases seems to be higher. At this time, the underlying cause in the uptick of cases remains unknown. Colorado State University and the Colorado Department of Agriculture are working diligently with local veterinarians and laboratories for more answers.

To help protect your dog from respiratory illness, we recommend the following:

Reduce your dog's exposure by limiting contact with dogs of unknown vaccination or health status (including dog parks, boarding, grooming, and social events). Just like with other respiratory pathogens, the more contact your dog has, the greater the risk of encountering a dog that is infectious.

Reduce contact with sick dogs. This can be harder to determine, but if a dog looks sick (coughing, runny nose, runny eyes), keep your dog away from it.

If your dog is sick, keep them home to avoid other dogs from getting ill and seek veterinary care.

Ask your veterinarian for advice on which vaccinations your dog should have. These may include canine influenza, Bordetella, and parainfluenza.

For the latest information, please visit the following websites:

https://ag.colorado.gov/canine-respiratory-disease

https://cvmbs.source.colostate.edu/respiratory-illness-canine/

We encourage you to reach out to us with any further questions or concerns and will continue to keep you updated as we learn more information.

Thank you,

Researchers are investigating a contagious illness that has led to a spike in the number of upper respiratory infections in canines along Colorado’s Front Range

10/18/2023

To celebrate our amazing techs, we will be closed for an extended lunch period today!
Closed 12:30 - 2:30
Wednesday, October 18th

10/17/2023

It's National Vet Tech Week! Please join us in celebrating the phenomenal team of techs and assistants we have the pleasure of working with every day. We can't overstate the importance of our amazing teams in both large and small animal to helping our hospital run smoothly and making sure our patients get top notch care. If you have the chance this week, please let our awesome techs know how much you appreciate them!