High Water Veterinary Services

02/15/2025

Donkey information.

02/14/2025

This is a great explanation on how veterinarians are trained to think and help owners understand better ways to communicate with veterinarians.

02/13/2025

A very important reminder!

Please note, there are updates on this post on our page. If uoubwoukd like the whole picture, the first addresses folks questions and the second is the amazing response from Farm Innovators. Worth the time to read.

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So scary!

The ups and downs and daily challenges of life on a working farm certainly keep us on our toes.

It goes without saying that there are daily twists and turns when it comes to running a sanctuary, especially in Winter, but the other morning we certainly did not expect to find this. Oh boy! We are sooooo lucky!

Frigid Northern New England temperatures mean frozen water buckets even in the barn (an absolute no for animal health) and so, like so many other farms, we have long used heated flatback buckets to provide our Rescues the “warm” water the need to stay hydrated. We have never had even the hint of a problem, even in my many years of farm chores long before Tomten - that is until this.

Known for keeping water ice-free during below zero conditions, these buckets have a built in thermostat, a hidden heater (it is in the walls of the bucket) and a storage area for the cord (we run the cord out of the stall through a hole to a plug that sits directly on the other side of the wall).

Of course, we are well aware they are plugged in and we check the plugs constantly as well as handle and get our eyes on the buckets regularly when anyone is in the stalls. These buckets are dumped daily, not to mention they are topped off several times a day and if anything looks off they are immediately replaced. But in this case, there was nothing to see until morning when we walked in the barn. Thankfully, the bucket had been topped at night check and we suspect the water is what led to a charred wall and not a full out barn fire. Thank goodness! Likewise our outlet did its job and shut itself off as well as flipping the circuit breaker for the entire aisle. Phew.

Wren, who was in that stall is thankfully fine although I am certain, a little leary of her bucket now and as for us, we’ll we are just sighing with relief and we are all so ready for Spring.

Update- our electrician has been here and our outlets are fine, up to code and worked as they should.

02/10/2025

Yesterday, I was called by local emergency responders to the scene of a choking dog. The owner had been significantly bitten trying to remove the object. I quickly assessed the dog, and determined radiographs could hopefully tell us the location of the object. On X-ray, it was lodged in the Larynx. This is the area where the esophagus and airway separate. She needed to be anesthetized to safely remove the object. We could not safely remove it on scene for the dog or ourselves.

I referred her to Animal Hospital of Northview. Due to her condition and my referral call, she went to the front of the line. A client and colleague was able to anesthetize her and remove the object safely!

She was choking on a bottle topper, Woody to be exact and only able to breath through the straw hole when in certain positions.

Please be careful with dogs and children. Toys, wipes, pacifiers and diapers are all objects that I have removed from dogs and cats in my career.

I am so happy this was a positive outcome. The quick response by all involved saved this dog's life.

💙 Thank you to the Emergency Responders and Emergency Veterinarians and Staff for all you do! 💙

02/09/2025

My goal for my practice was always to teach people. It is a true passion of mine. Often you find me posting different ailments that I have recently treated in hopes to help educate others and prevent them from reoccurring. I’m also known for bring brutally honest, I don’t mince words.

Today, I feel it is important to talk about an ailment of Veterinarians but truly anyone can be affected. We often discuss it privately among ourselves with comments of “Imposter Syndrome is strong this week.” My exact comments yesterday.

“Imposter syndrome, also known as impostor phenomenon, is a behavioral health experience where individuals doubt their skills, intellect, or accomplishments. It can manifest as constant inner criticism or a panic-like response to stress. People with imposter syndrome may feel like frauds or failures when they can't answer a question. They may also experience anxiety, depression, and fear of being exposed as a fraud.”

Though the issues of Veterinary Medicine are complex, I believe a large part of our mental health issues start with already feeling insufficient. Most of us are Type A’s, Prefectionist. We are also competitive.

When someone tells me of a good outcome or complements me, you will often hear my reply that “I am just a Podunk Country Vet.” I know several will jump to say, I am anything but even when presented with facts and good outcomes, I often feel like a fraud. The facts of my experience and knowledge are often drowned out by Imposter Syndrome.

I know these feelings will eventually pass, and the truth of who I am, and my abilities will come back. The waxing and waning, the Yin and Yang of life will persist.

I post this to acknowledge it. So many of my colleagues and friends suffer silently. As do I. Someone once told me, if you speak it, it takes away its strength.

So Imposter Syndrome was strong this week.

Please be kind to my colleagues. 💙

Tomorrow is a new day, a new week.

02/08/2025

There is A LOT of discussions regarding the Avian Flu outbreak.

This is a free webinar open to everyone not just veterinarians. Please educate yourself appropriately. With real science.

Any political comments will be deleted.

This education is on Public Health, Veterinary Medicine and Zoonotic disease.

Avian influenza cases are rising across California, posing a greater threat to humans and animals. As experts work tirelessly to contain the bird flu outbreak, it's crucial to stay informed. Join UC Health, UC Davis Veterinary Medicine, and UC Davis School of Medicine as experts delve into how health professionals are navigating this highly pathogenic avian flu outbreak.

This event is FREE and open to the public. Continuing education credit is available for health professionals. RSVP at bit.ly/4fYacD1

02/07/2025

This is Harper! She was seen for her annual veterinary visit yesterday.

We offer Wellness visits and additional services for small animal patients at home!

Services we offer:
*Vaccines
*Heartworm testing
*Heartworm, Flea, Tick Prevention
*Bloodwork
*Hospice care and At Home Euthanasia for our clients.
*Acupuncture
*Spinal Manipulation (Chiropractic)
*Laser therapy and Laser rental
*Shockwave therapy
*Mild ailments such as ear injections, corneal scratches, arthritis, etc.

We cannot offer Hospitalization, Surgery or Emergency care for our small animal patients. We do have an excellent practice we refer our clients to for these needs.

We often see patients who are stressed going to the clinic, are too large for owners to get in the car or carry. Elderly owners and elderly patients. We also help keep several barn cats or farm dogs healthy!

There is a travel fee for these services.

Please let us know if we can help you with your pets.

(419)577-9060
[email protected]

02/06/2025

While the number of confirmed equine rabies 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 horse, 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. Remember that strange behavior on behalf of your equine friend is always a valid reason to check in with your horse doctor!

02/06/2025

Having a morning of gratitude after a worrisome night in my personal life. I am tired this morning but grateful. ♥️

I wanted to wish my new truck assistant a very happy birthday! Charlie recently started with us, and she is quickly becoming an asset to the practice. Please wish her a Happy Birthday if you see her today.

Happy Birthday Charlie!

02/04/2025

This is a fantastic webinar to help my clients (and not clients) prepare for foaling!!

Sign up!

Are you foal-ready?

Join AAEP member veterinarians Drs. Chelsea Folmar & Taylor Huffman on Feb. 12 for a webinar discussion that will help you prepare for the foaling season. Learn how to create a foaling kit, the timeline of parturition (foaling), and how to recognize when veterinary intervention is needed.

Registration is FREE but required. A recording of the webinar will be available if you miss the live event.

Register here: https://events.zoom.us/ev/Ats8dN0E2JxrJYoBUPKU7BW_HtYcwxW988ZYvpWRruqNFu98_uws~AnoL_ZTlIx2iZDbk457AKzpEPWgwMyM1m36OoJWUUyiXJPOgKi4PHJJYdQ

This informative session is brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

02/03/2025

54 degrees is a perfect day for Gastroscopes! We saw the temperatures and tried to get all those waiting on for today.

Please be mindful of these temperatures swings! The horses aren’t big fans of going from 50’s to 30’s in 24 hours. Make sure they are drinking plenty of water, blankets are appropriate and getting some movement.

Let us know how we can help you!
(419)577-9060
[email protected]

01/31/2025

I am traveling to Cleveland this morning for a very early personal appointment. I will have the phones, but will put on silent during my appointment. I will be able to text. We will be back in the call range this morning.

Picture of the barn cat I made really happy yesterday.

Dr. Meer

01/31/2025

100% agree!

01/30/2025

We have received several calls asking for help with breeding work and foalings.

When I started this practice 7 years ago, I decided to focus on General Practice, Sport Horse Medicine and Integrative Eastern Medicine.

I was diagnosed by a Sleep Specialist with two different forms of Insomnia. Both require medication for sleep.

Breeding and Reproductive Medicine often requires breedings at all hours as well as foalings. While practicing medicine is second nature to me at this point in my career.Driving in the dark while on medication to induce sleep is very similar to driving drunk. I chose to eliminate offering Reproductive Medicine for my safety.

I do have a select few, very special clients who understand my condition, that I help with limited services. I know all breeding dates, foaling dates and we are in communication during the expected times. I withhold my meds to be prepared. I only order enough supplies for the few foals I expect. I do not have supplies readily available for outside mares or foals.

If you are breeding mares, please have a Veterinarian you work with closely. Please make sure they know expected dates for foalings. This allows the clinics to have post foaling supplies from materials to flush the mare, IgG tests and even Plasma on hand for the foal.

Veterinarians are stretched thin. Please help us help you. The better you are to us, I guarantee, the more willing they are to jump and help you in a pinch.

Dr. Meer

01/28/2025

Out of 100,000 veterinarians roughly 3,000 are equine. We make less money than our colleagues. Significantly less money. We are exposed to all the elements. We work often 24/7 for our clients. Calls and texts truly come at all hours. What you should be asking is why? Why make 50k-100k less than your small animal colleagues? Why bear the brunt of difficultly, stress and burden?

For the clients who become friends, and family is my answer. I mauled over what to type here, still crying as I’m typing and not quite finding the right words. It caught me hard in the moment.

I sat in a tack room drinking a beer at 10 am yesterday. Just moments before I helped to lay an old friend to rest. She wasn’t old. But she was hurting. It was planned so it would be me. I wanted to make sure I could make her as comfortable as possible. That included her knowing exactly who I was. I knew her well. Through lameness, Lyme disease, EPM, the shows and competitions, visiting her at OSU during Covid. Her mom getting married, and having a baby. I knew the whole story. And I was there for the ending.

Equine practice is not for the weak. It is brutal. It can be soul crushing. But as I sat and drank a beer and we chatted and talked and made plans on how to move forward. My heart felt a bit lighter. It’s these connections that keep those of us in equine practice. The love between us all steaming from a horse.

I hope these connections aren’t just in my practice, but for all my equine colleagues.

Rest easy my dear “Llama.” It was a privilege to know you, and be so trusted.

The quote of the moment, “Cocaine would be cheaper.” 😂😂

God bless the horse. 💚💙

01/27/2025

I often get questions regarding what Joint Supplements I recommend to clients. Obviously, there are a lot of factors, including age, conditions and expenses. I only recommend products which have science and research. I also only prescribe FDA and FEI approved injectable joint medication.

Here is a list I recently compiled for a client:

*Cosequin $66.95 ($2.39 a day) from SmartPak
*Equithrive $53.95 ($193/day) From SmartPak
*Platinum performance CJ (Colic coverage also) $179 for 10lb bucket, 58 servings. (MRV vet code).
*Adequan IM injection $550 for 10 doses.
*Zycosan IM injection $425 for 6-12 months of dosing.

We are happy to help guide you in choosing the right supplements for your horses.

01/26/2025

It’s been a long week. Thank you to my clients who brought me coats Thursday, and tolerated my hunger. Thank you to those who checked on me. Even more grateful to come out of anesthesia to a beloved and trusted client. What a comfort.

God is good. ♥️

No surprise to anyone, I am making a quick trip to Pittsburgh. I will be back tomorrow afternoon.

Dr. Meer

01/25/2025

Though we wish our horse doctors could be there for our equine friends in any emergency, the reality is that our horses' primary veterinarian cannot be available 24/7 and still juggle the needs of their own personal lives, health and happiness.

The most significant pain point for many veterinarians is caring for their clients during regular business hours and then also being on call for emergencies after hours. For single-doctor or small practices, this traditionally has been the case most nights of the week.

However, private veterinary practices and veterinary schools have more recently focused on developing new models for emergency care which ease the strain on individual practitioners. This includes the growth of emergency cooperatives where two or more practices in a geographic area work together to share after-hours care, as well as more emergency-only practices and the use of tele-triage services to address client concerns after normal business hours.

As equine veterinarians reevaluate what after-hours care looks like for their practices, the support of their clients is critical to creating a balance that works for both parties. If your horse doctor talks with you about changes in how after-hours care is delivered, we hope you’ll welcome the adjustments. This evolution of emergency care must take place in order for equine veterinarians to avoid burnout and continue to be at their best to treat all of your equine friends.