Northern Lights Veterinary Service

11/26/2024

The office will be closed on Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving. We will be available for emergencies only. Please call the office 906-458-4948 if emergency care is needed. Happy Thanksgiving!

11/22/2024

We have some last minute openings for dental care in the next week - now is a great time to make sure your horses are set up for winter success! Call the office to schedule your farm call or haul in appointment.

11/19/2024

Please never give banamine in the muscle!

We love a good series as much as the next person—especially one as dramatic as Yellowstone! But let’s set the record straight about one scene that made us yell “NEIGH-way!” at the screen.

In a recent episode, a horse was given an injection of Banamine (a common anti-inflammatory drug) *in the muscle*. While it might look cool and cowboy-chic on TV, here’s the deal: 🆃🅷🅸🆂 🅸🆂 🅳🅰🅽🅶🅴🆁🅾🆄🆂🅻🆈 🅸🅽🅲🅾🆁🆁🅴🅲🆃 in real life and could land your horse in serious trouble.
What’s the Problem?
Banamine (flunixin meglumine) is a fantastic drug for reducing pain and helping colics *when used correctly*. But when injected into muscle, it can cause clostridial myositis—a rare but life-threatening infection that produces gas in the muscle tissue. This can happen fast, turning what seemed like a harmless injection into a serious emergency.
The TV Drama vs. Real-Life Care
We get it. TV needs action, and waiting for a vet to explain safe medication practices isn’t exactly prime-time material. But in the real world, Banamine should be given orally or as an intravenous (IV) injection—and the IV option is best left to a trained professional (like your friendly neighborhood veterinarian 👋).
The Takeaway
Hollywood may make ranch life look glamorous, but don’t take veterinary advice from fictional cowboys. Always consult your vet before giving any medication, and remember: the health of your animals isn’t worth risking for a shortcut that’s TV-only accurate.
💡 Got questions about horse care? Drop us a message, and we’ll gallop to your rescue (without the TV drama)! 🐎✨

11/15/2024

Surprise! Dr. Stephens-Brown was giving some TMJ traction on a very large boy yesterday and created the best picture of 2024 🤣

Now is a great time to schedule VSMT treatment before winter sets in!

11/13/2024

If your horse has a cough that persists into exercise or is heard while your equine friend is at rest in the barn, be sure to talk to your veterinarian about evaluating your horse for respiratory disease. It could be a problem with the upper airway (the nasal passages and throat) or the lower airway (the lungs).

While waiting for your appointment, try decreasing your horse’s exposure to dust, as that is a primary trigger for lower respiratory disease such as asthma or heaves. Some simple things you can do include avoiding straw bedding, feeding hay on the ground and/or soaking it, not using a leaf blower on barn aisles, and not storing hay or bedding above your horse’s stall. Last but not least, while us humans may be more comfortable with all the barn doors closed on a cold day, your horses’ lungs will appreciate open doors/windows and good ventilation!

As always, if you have questions or would like to learn more about preserving your horse’s respiratory health, your equine veterinarian remains your best source of information!
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Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

11/11/2024

To our veterans and active-duty military: For your bravery, service and dedication to this country, thank you. We honor you this .

11/10/2024

We are seeing a spike in Anaplasmosis cases this week. Horses with Anaplasmosis usually present with fever, lethargy, decreased appetite, stocking up, or mild ataxia/wobbliness. If your horse is acting off, it is always a good idea to take a temperature. Anything over 101.5°F is a fever and should have an exam. Anaplasmosis can be confirmed with bloodwork. Horses usually recover quickly once proper antibiotic treatment is started.

11/07/2024

We will be in the Sault Ste Marie area November 15th and have space for additional farms. This will be our last trip out East until Spring.

11/05/2024

We are excited to have Dr. Aumann back for acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Call, text, or email the office if you would like to schedule an acupuncture appointment with optional veterinary spinal manipulation therapy.

11/04/2024

11/01/2024

Hopefully this cold weather sends those pesky ticks scuttling away but we have seen a huge upTICK in Lyme this fall. Spotlighting two diseases transmitted by ticks:

Tick Borne: Equine Granulocytic Anaplasmosis (Anaplasma) and Lyme Disease

Causal Agent: Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Anaplasma), Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme)

Signs of Anaplasma: Fever. Other signs include depression, mild limb edema, ataxia, partial anorexia, depression, reluctance to move, limb edema, petechiation, and icterus/jaundice.

Signs of Lyme: Shifting leg or non-specific lameness, fever, loss of appetite, fatigue, and sometimes difficulty breathing. We often see chronic diarrhea with Lyme horses from the inflammation.

How We Test: Blood tests

Treatment: Antibiotics and supportive care. Some horses will remain seropositive for Lyme after treatment

Prevention: Tick control measures like avoiding tall grass, using tick preventatives like Equispot and UltraBoss. Vaccinate for Lyme. There is no vaccine available for Anaplasma.

10/31/2024

Ooky spooky creepy crawlies with some education - check out the inside of this horse’s mouth!

10/30/2024

We got to share tricks and treats at the Skandia Farmer’s Market!

10/29/2024

Happy National Cat Day! We get to cuddle many cute barn cats at the farms we visit. Share your favorite barn cats with us!

10/28/2024

Some good tips for winter preparation

Have you started preparing your farm for winter? Consider adding these tasks to your to do list. 🐴 🍂🧹

10/21/2024

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10/18/2024

Our vet truck got a thorough cat scan today! Enjoy the gorgeous weather with your horses this weekend!