South Branch Animal Hospital

09/10/2024

Check it out! Great savings!

09/09/2024

Thank you for your patience, Hardy Telecommunications has us back up and going!

09/05/2024

From the Grant County Health Department

09/04/2024

UNDERSTANDING PROUD FLESH ✍️

Wounds on the bodies and limbs of our equine companions are exceptionally common. In particular, wounds on lower limbs can be especially difficult to manage. There is little extra skin in these areas, making large wounds difficult to close via suturing.

In addition, wounds on the lower legs are contaminated easily with bacteria since they are closer to the ground, bedding, and manure. The constant movement of an animal's legs as it walks, turns, and bears weight can also greatly impair healing, especially if the wound occurs over a joint. All of these factors can often halt the normal progression of the healing process and result in a chronic wound.

Persistent inflammation, along with infection, is a major contributor to exuberant granulation tissue (or proud flesh) formation in a wound. Proud flesh is not conducive to wound healing as it prevents the wound from epithelializing (the process of the skin cells covering the wound), and sometimes it can become so large that it appears to be a tumor, usually obliterating the original wound.

Prevention of proud flesh involves good wound management. For the best healing, wounds should be identified and treated quickly and properly — especially on the lower limbs. Consult your veterinarian about any wounds that appear deep or extensive, that lie over important structures (like joints and tendons), or that already show signs of proud flesh development. Rather than waste time and money in trials and errors that could delay your equid's healing, ask your veterinarian what products are best for your situation.

08/30/2024

08/30/2024

As cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) are on the rise, it remains critically important that horse owners take steps to protect their equine friends (and their families) from mosquito bites. If you live in a region where mosquito populations persist well into the fall months, your veterinarian may recommend additional fall booster vaccinations against EEE/WEE and WNV (West Nile Virus).

If you don't know your horse's vaccination history or you are unsure whether they have received a certain vaccine, it's not too late to start from scratch with an initial series of inoculations followed by the appropriate boosters, as recommended by your horse doctor.

So, what is Eastern Equine Encephalitis?

EEE is a severe, viral disease affecting the central nervous system, and is transmitted to equids (and humans) by infected mosquitoes. There is no cure for EEE, and the mortality rate is 75-95% (in horses). Prevention through vaccination is key.

Contact your veterinarian for more information, or learn more about EEE with the following resources:

USDA Equine Arbovirus Dashboard: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/equine/arbovirus-dashboard

Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC): https://www.equinediseasecc.org/eastern-equine-encephalitis

AAEP EEE Guidelines: https://aaep.org/resource/eastern-equine-encephalitis-eee/

08/30/2024

At 12 pm tomorrow, Saturday August 31st, we will be closed to observe Labor Day through Monday September 2, 2024.
Please if you have an emergency call Valley Veterinary Emergency or Cheat Lake Animal Hospital for your triage time before you head that way. We will reopen Tuesday at 9am for appointments. Thank you!

Photo credit: Judy Widder, Mya

08/29/2024

Our staff meeting will end at 1:05 - and the phone line will reopen 🙂

08/28/2024

08/28/2024

We need “ewe”! ISO: Evening shift veterinary technician- registered veterinary technician preferred. Hours 1-7pm daily Monday through Friday. 1 Saturday a month. Email or message the office with resumes.
References necessary as well as drug screening.

08/27/2024

Food delivery this week!
Check in if you have been looking for a favorite diet, many are available this week that had been on backorder!🐕‍🦺🦮🐩🐈🐈‍⬛

08/26/2024

Happy National Dog Day!
Branch Animal Hospital, Grooming
Share your favorite photos of dogs with us, we may feature them with a post in the future!

08/21/2024

As fall draws closer, many horse owners are busy securing their fall and winter hay supply. If you are considering purchasing round bales for your equine companions—due to their cost-effectiveness and greater convenience for feeding pastured animals— remember that there are a few things to consider when choosing between square or round bales.

• Are you equipped/prepared to store your hay correctly?
Improperly stored round bales can lose much of their nutritional value and are also more susceptible to mold, dust, and bacteria growth, which can cause respiratory issues and even colic.

• Are your horses protected from botulism?
Round bales provide an optimum environment for the development of the botulism toxin. This toxin is produced when "Clostridium botulinum" is exposed to the right environmental conditions — such as when forage materials are baled and stored while still damp, or when they include the carcasses of dead animals, like birds and mice.

Prevention of this disease through vaccination is critical, especially in areas where the condition is prevalent (such as Kentucky, Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania, California, and Tennessee).

• Are round bales a good choice for your horse?
Horses prone to respiratory conditions usually have increased problems with round bales due to their higher dust content.

• Do you have a feeder to place your round bales in?
Round bales not placed in a feeder can create more waste, which means your horses may not be meeting their nutritional requirements.

• Can you secure high-quality round bales?
Not all hay is created equal. Be sure to choose high-quality hay to meet your horse's nutritional needs and minimize the risk of impaction colic, which increases with lower-quality, less digestible forage.

As always, your equine veterinarian remains your best source of information and advice—consult your horse doctor on best practices when feeding hay this fall and winter!

For more information on botulism, visit our website at: https://aaep.org/guidelines-resources/resource-library/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEwcuRleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHV5P3MHpvOoAOGsW2VwZTo-v_0pkILq8xN-reSg_yb3W01gGW_lfk0Nrnw_aem_Pp0WTnTG0S7pEH-BcTMV1g&_search=botulism

08/21/2024

08/21/2024

08/21/2024

West Virginia's National Hunting and Fishing Day returns to Stonewall Resort Sept. 21. Get your tickets today!

06/22/2024

We are closed July 4th, 2024 in observance of Independence Day. Our office will resume appointments Friday, July 5, 2024 at 9am.

For emergency needs from June 28-July 8, 2024 we recommend an 24 hour emergency hospital such as - Cheat Lake Animal Hospital, Cheat Lake, WV near Morgantown or Lifecenter, Leesburg, VA, or call ahead for Valley Emergency in Wi******er, VA availability.

06/20/2024

This is not a flea and tick pill. This is a single one day of action adult flea killing medication. This will not work at all on ticks. This only works for 24 hours of killing adult fleas on one pet.

05/27/2024

We are closed today in observance of Memorial Day. Our office will reopen resume appointments Tuesday May 28 at 9am.
For emergency needs today we recommend an emergency hospital - Cheat Lake Animal Hospital, Cheat Lake WV near Morgantown or Lifecenter, Leesburg, VA.

05/03/2024

Found here earlier this week. Please come in to claim.

04/01/2024

04/01/2024

South Branch Animal Hospital is looking to add a trained veterinary technician, 3 years experience in the field OR degree in veterinary technology required to apply. References will be checked and drug testing. If you are interested in joining our fun, educational, but fast paced work environment please send a resume and cover letter to our email- check our website www.southbranchanimalhospital.com to contact us or fax to 304-530-5277

We provide state of the art compassionate veterinary care to all animals.

03/07/2024

Katie has two grooming appointments available today at noon. Pet must be up to date with required vaccines call to schedule.

01/21/2024

Baby Lamb, Kid, and Calf time!

01/19/2024

Update Friday 11:00am January 19, we will be planning to close for appointments and medication sales at 5:30pm.

We have contacted morning appointments that were affected and rescheduled accordingly.

Thank you for understanding- stay safe!

01/19/2024

Due to driving conditions we will be operating on a delayed schedule appointments currently affected have been contacted and know to call or wait to be contacted before coming in.
Today please call before heading our way. We anticipate being operational around 10am.
Thank you for understanding our interest in staff and public safety.

01/19/2024

Stayed tuned in case of weather related road delay for our office opening on Friday January 19. We will reach out to individual appointments if these occur.

01/08/2024

We intend to be open normally tomorrow, Monday January 8 at 8am. If you will be delayed due to weather occurrences please call, 304-530-7224. Thank you.

12/18/2023

🎄Hours of service update-Merry Christmas 🎅🏻 🤶🏻
We will be closed at 5pm on Friday, December 22. We will be open for medication and food pick up on Saturday December 23, 2023 9am-12pm.
We will be closed Monday, December 25.
We will be closed Saturday, December 30, 2023- January 1, 2024 🌲

09/02/2023

We are closed for the holiday weekend with our families. If you call us this weekend you will be directed to a referral 24 hour facility.
We will reopen Tuesday September 5th. Please respect our staff and families during their downtime.