Lexington Large Animal Medicine and Surgery

12/18/2023

10/18/2023

While it’s a common equine emergency, espophageal obstruction (“choke”) can look alarming, especially if you've never seen it before. Unlike in human medicine, where choking refers to a tracheal (or windpipe) obstruction, choke in horses refers to an obstruction of the esophagus, the muscular tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach.

Most commonly, choking occur when horses eat concentrated feed too quickly without chewing it appropriately, which results in a firm bolus lodged in the animal's esophagus. However, esophageal obstruction can also occur with hay or straw, hard treats, carrots, or nonfood objects. Poor dentition, which leads to inadequate chewing, is also a frequent cause of choke.

While common, chokes can have serious consequences so be sure to call your veterinarian as soon as you notice signs of choke. A bad choke is fairly obvious to both veterinarians and horse owners, but a mild choke could be confused with an upper respiratory tract infection or colic.

Read more about this condition on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/understanding-choke-horses

10/18/2023

https://www.facebook.com/100064652683585/posts/725320536299696/?sfnsn=mo&mibextid=6aamW6

From the Farm Credit Knowledge Center

Did you know that the milk composition of dairy cows can vary based on various factors? Our updated Dairy Breeds infographic now includes valuable insights into milk fat and protein percentages. However, it's crucial to remember that these averages can differ due to genetics, lactation stage, milk production level, age, environment, disease, and nutrition. According to the University of Nebraska Extension, 55% of the variation in milk composition is influenced by heredity, while 45% is affected by environmental factors like feeding management.

When it comes to dairy farming, choosing the right breed is vital. Each breed has its unique production, milk components, and temperament traits. Other factors like economics, tradition, and current herd genetics also come into play.

09/27/2023

https://www.facebook.com/100029409686059/posts/1077526379904341/?sfnsn=mo&mibextid=6aamW6

There's still time to register! Hope to see you next Friday at our Fall Field Day!

go.ncsu.edu/smallruminantfallfieldday23

09/06/2023

Yep, ya'll know what day it is! Hump Dayee!!🐫 Here are a couple of pictures of a camel castration. The picture in the field is a couple of days later, checking for excessive swelling. I may not be his favorite person

09/06/2023

The whole crew having sort of a mini round on a difficult case and pitching in as Dr. F preps for a belly tap.

09/06/2023

I realize I haven't posted many pictures that chronicle our daily activities at the clinic. I always have a hard time imaging that anyone would really be interested in our routine stuff. Also, I get busy and forget. And, I just didn't want the aggravation of dealing with the online "Karen's".😅 We realized that we needed to start accumulating pictures for our online presence. I asked Tiffany, one of our great Vet Techs to start taking pictures. She shared many of those with me this week. After seeing them, it occurred to me. I've always taken pictures of The Patient or The Procedure from a technical perspective. Tiffany was photographing us in action. I think she captures how dedicated Dr.Cole, Dr. Fulton, Deby, Becca, Tiffany and Abbey are to the care of our patients. It thrills me that they feel the same way I do about our profession. The beauty and wonder that we see on a daily basis. So, the first pictures are the only 2 that have Tiffany in them since she was normally taking them! On her own, she was trying to hand feed a senior feed slurry to a critical colic horse that stayed with us. That moment sort of clicked with me. Those are the moments to share. So, I'll probably rapid fire a few posts with the photos already taken and we'll continue to add content. I won't identify our clients or give specific info about our patients. If you see your animal's photo in one of our posts and you'd rather not, just message me and I'll immediately take it down.

07/19/2023

HOOF ABSCESSES EXPLAINED

Sooner or later, nearly all horse owners will deal with a hoof abscess. But what does "hoof abscess" actually mean?

Although most commonly seen during the wet winter and spring months, hoof abscesses can plague horses year-round and usually occur when debris and bacteria enter the foot through hoof cracks and wounds, even horseshoeing holes. The bacteria then get trapped between the sensitive laminae (the tissue layer that bonds the hoof capsule to the coffin bone) and the hoof wall or sole and create pus; the pus builds up over the course of time and puts pressure behind the hoof wall or sole, until it causes the sudden onset of acute lameness when the pain finally becomes too great.
(The diagram below shows a simplified view of the equine hoof to help you visualize the structures involved in this process.)

Hoof abscesses can mimic other more serious diseases or injuries, so involving your veterinarian early on in the diagnosis and prompt treatment of this condition is always a good idea. Some abscesses will be uncomplicated and rupture on their own like a large pimple at the coronary band or heel bulbs; other abscesses, however, could require radiographs and will need to be surgically drained.

Read more about hoof abscesses on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/hoof-abscesses or better yet consult your primary veterinarian for more information!

06/14/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1009977953325851&id=100029409686059&mibextid=CDWPTG

Register now for our 2023 FAMACHA Certification Workshops! Participants will receive a FAMACHA card at the completion of the workshop! We will be hosting 4 workshops in different regions of North Carolina. See below for registration information.

05/25/2023

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/amazing-grazing-workshop-davidson-county-tickets-641588657947

Join NC Cooperative Extension and Amazing Grazing for an on-farm field day!

05/14/2023

🐄👮‍♂️🚔🤠https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=621982789972226&id=100064815303352&mibextid=CDWPTG

News Release:
On May 09, 2023, a suspect later identified as Joshua Russell Minton, age 34, of Millers Creek, NC, fled from Boone Police Officers during a traffic stop. The suspect led Boone police and deputies of the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office in a chase. The suspect abandoned his vehicle in the area of US Hwy 421 and US Hwy 221 in Deep Gap and fled into an undeveloped area. Due to the suspect’s fast and reckless driving our officers were not close enough to see exactly where the suspect ran.
As officers began to search the area they received some unexpected, but welcomed assistance from some local cows. Apparently cows do not want suspected criminals loitering in their pasture and quickly assisted our officers by leading them directly to where the suspect was hiding. The cows communicated with the officers as best they could and finally just had the officers follow them to the suspect’s location.
In addition to thanking our officers and deputies for putting themselves in harm’s way; obviously, we want to express our gratitude to the cows for their assistance. This opens up all kinds of questions as to the bovines’ role in crime fighting. Honestly, it is something that we have not considered before now. As we examine the obvious next steps of incorporating a Bovine Tracking Unit into our department’s law enforcement capabilities there are many factors that we will have to consider:
• How adaptable are cows to a variety of police work or can they just find hiding suspects?
• Are cows more cost effective than K-9 dogs?
• How will we transport cows to the scenes, and is this compatible with the Town’s sustainability goals in terms of types of vehicles needed and obviously there are methane issues?
• Cost of training, vet care, ballistic vests, etc.?

We at the Boone Police Department are always looking for better ways to serve our community. We may be a small town; but we are a progressive, forward thinking law enforcement agency. For rural law enforcement, we want to be the tip of the spear.

Mr. Mitten was charged with multiple charges to include:
• 1 count of Felony Flee/Elude Arrest with a Motor Vehicle
• Driving with License Revoked
• Disorderly Conduct

Mr. Mitten was taken before a magistrate and received a $20,000 secured bond with a court date scheduled for 06/28/2023 in Watauga County.
See local media for the real press release

03/29/2023

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/piedmont-regional-sheep-and-goat-conference-tickets-579315386917

Join NC Cooperative Extension for our annual Piedmont Regional Sheep and Goat Conference.

03/07/2023

https://www.facebook.com/100057335776975/posts/714446607143192/?sfnsn=mo&mibextid=6aamW6

02/25/2023

February is Veterinary Dental Health Month - here is your reminder about the importance of having a veterinarian check your horse’s teeth at least once a year!

Contrary to what you may think, equine dentistry is not just about “floating” teeth and dental diseases can have an impact on your horse's body that go beyond the mouth alone. Remember: just because your equine friend is not showing any obvious symptoms of dental disease, it does not automatically mean that all is well. Horses simply adapt to their discomfort and most horses with dental problems will show no noticeable signs at all, until the disease is a serious source of pain and infection that can affect the animal’s overall health.

If you don’t already have a plan in place, be sure to contact your veterinarian today to discuss your equine friend’s dental health and prevent more painful and costly problems later!

02/16/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=569499351890338&id=100064908331208&mibextid=Nif5oz

02/04/2023

https://www.facebook.com/100029409686059/posts/917693712554276/?sfnsn=mo&mibextid=6aamW6

University of Mount Olive-North Carolina State University Goat Artificial Insemination Short Course June 21-23, 2023 *Note: This year the course will be a Wednesday to Friday program (Registration will open March 1, 2023) This short course is designed to provide participants with theoretical backgro...

01/28/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=919538942497065&id=100033229034053&sfnsn=mo&mibextid=RUbZ1f

New and beginning sheep and goat farmers are invited to attend the 2023 Shepherd Boot Camp. Topics include:

basics of small ruminant care
herd health
nutrition
record-keeping
body condition scoring

The camp will begin with orientation on February 22 at 6 p.m., followed by online training (self-paced) February 8 through March 8 and an in-person demonstration day on March 10th from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Register for Shepherd Boot Camp by February 20th at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shepherd-boot-camp-tickets-515200327047

01/13/2023

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SPOT COLIC IN HORSES?

Colic is not a disease; it is merely a symptom of disease. Specifically, colic indicates a painful problem in the horse's abdomen (belly), which can be caused by a number of different conditions. Less than 10% of all colic cases are severe enough to require surgery or cause the death of the horse; nevertheless, every case of colic should be taken seriously because it can be difficult to tell the mild ones from the potentially serious ones in the early stages.

Horses show signs of abdominal pain in a wide variety of ways, and usually a horse shows only a few of the signs during an episode of colic. The rule of thumb is—the more obvious the signs of pain, the more serious the problem.

If you suspect the horse is suffering from colic, we suggest that you:
• Alert your veterinarian immediately.
• Remove all hay and grain from the horse's surroundings.
• Don't medicate without your veterinarian's approval, as pain medications can mask clinical signs;
• Walk the horse around if it's continually rolling or in danger of hurting itself—but do not tire the horse with relentless walking and don't approach the animal if it's not safe.
• Keep the horse under close observation until the signs of colic resolve or the veterinarian arrives.

The key to increasing the chances of a good outcome is to identify the problem early and get your veterinarian involved from the start. Consult your horse doctor for more information and be sure to ask them how they can be reached if your horse colics after hours!

01/11/2023

https://www.facebook.com/100064908331208/posts/544028714437402/?sfnsn=mo&mibextid=6aamW6

Limited spaces available on our bus tour. Find out more information and register here: https://go.ncsu.edu/2023beeftour

12/21/2022

It's getting colder. Always a good reminder

11/24/2022

https://www.facebook.com/100029409686059/posts/856213535368961/?sfnsn=mo&extid=a&mibextid=6aamW6

Join us December 10 in Asheboro for the 2022 North Carolina Sheep Producers Association Educational and Membership Meeting. Great lineup of speakers and opportunity to meet and network with other sheep producers. Register at the link below!

https://www.ncsheep.com/

11/18/2022

https://www.facebook.com/267505593338220/posts/5562203913868335/?sfnsn=mo&extid=a&mibextid=RUbZ1f

https://www.pasturetopublish.com/salebooks/ranch-637390478903339646/southeastbullexpo11192022api/flip-book/ #1

Check out our sale catalog online. It has been mailed out and will be hitting mailboxes soon.
Sale day 11.19.22 in Asheboro NC and on CCI.live!

10/30/2022

https://www.facebook.com/283616789231172/posts/1169977407261768/?sfnsn=mo&extid=a

Don’t forget to bring the kids and fiber enthusiasts to join us tomorrow for the shearing, spinning, and yarn! We can’t wait to meet you!

10/19/2022

10/03/2022

The more you know, courtesy of the horse doctors at Mid-Rivers Equine Centre:

If you own a horse, you may want to think twice before feeding them ripe persimmons. According to a recent article in 'Equine Veterinary Education,' horses that consume large quantities of ripe persimmons may develop a mass of persimmon fibers that block the flow of ingested material in the digestive tract resulting in impaction colic.

Most cases of equine persimmon colic occur between September and December—the time when ripe persimmons are most readily available.

If you think your horse has eaten many ripe persimmons, watch for symptoms such as decreased appetite, colic, diarrhea, weight loss, and lethargy; be sure to contact your veterinarian if your horse starts experiencing any of these clinical signs.

10/03/2022

September 28 is . While the number of confirmed equine cases every year is low, talking about this disease remains important because of the potential for human exposure—which does NOT have to involve a bite from an infected horses, as contact of skin or mucosa with the horse’s saliva could be enough to transmit the disease.

Rabies has many faces but they are all deadly—once a horse shows clinical signs, the animal invariably dies within a few days as there is no treatment.
The good news is that modern vaccines are highly effective and current AAEP recommendations list rabies as one of the “core vaccines” that should be given to all horses annually to maintain immunity (read the full AAEP vaccination guidelines here: https://aaep.org/guidelines/vaccination-guidelines)

Equine rabies is a real risk for all horses, and a public health concern as well. Be sure to set up a regular vaccination schedule with your veterinarian if you haven’t already done so, and remember that strange behavior on behalf of your equine friend is always a valid reason to check in with your horse doctor!

Read more about rabies on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/rabies-has-many-faces

09/24/2022

It's the last day of the . The cows and goats have all gone home, but we're still here! All proceeds go towards the Kiwanis Kiddie Camp. If you see me volunteering in the parking lot say Hi! (don't run over me)