Clinton Veterinary Service, P.C.

09/20/2024

Great sheep and goat webinars given by trusted sources

09/09/2024

With each passing year, horses are living longer lives and many survive easily to 25 years of age or older. While this is good news, it also means that we need to be aware of changes that can occur with age in order to preserve the health and quality of life of our equine friends.

For example, Equine Cushing’s disease is one of the most common diseases of horses 15 years of age or older. This syndrome is better defined as Equine Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) because it reflects the location within the brain that is abnormal. Clinical signs are associated with abnormally elevated hormone concentrations in the blood.

Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is another endocrine disorder that can affect mature horses and shares some of the same clinical signs as PPID. Although the two disorders feature some striking clinical similarities — most notably a predisposition to development of chronic laminitis — the underlying disease biology is quite different in each case. Successful management relies on proper diagnosis by your equine veterinarian first.

Our understanding of both conditions, especially EMS, is incomplete and evolving, but sufficient information is currently available to highlight some important similarities and differences for the interested horse owner. Consult your veterinarian for more information and work with them to develop the best wellness practices to ensure a healthy life for your mature horse.

08/27/2024

Great webinars if you have goats or you’re thinking of adding them to your farm

08/20/2024

Most equine owners know that a negative Coggins test is a document required to be able to transport their animal across state lines, enter them in a competitive event, or board at someone's barn. But what does the phrase "negative Coggins test" actually mean?

A "Coggins" is a blood test that can only be performed by USDA-approved laboratories and checks for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) antibodies in the blood. EIA is a potentially fatal blood-borne infectious viral disease that is primarily transmitted by biting flies, particularly horseflies—which means that your animals are at risk even if they never travel or live in a closed herd.

The clinical signs of disease can vary dramatically from an acute infection to an inapparent form, but what is important to know is that it produces a persistent infection. Once an animal tests positive for EIA it becomes a lifelong source of disease transmission, so the owner can only choose between quarantine for life or humane euthanasia to ensure that large outbreaks of the disease don’t occur. There is no vaccine and no treatment for EIA.

Take-home message: While a Coggins test is a necessary travel document, don’t forget that it's also first and foremost a way to identify and remove EIA carriers to keep the disease under control.

To learn more about EIA, visit our website at: https://aaep.org/guidelines-resources/resource-library/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEwR-1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHZp1fQwBC7LYpAzA3W2a5XUaYAd6gDO2mEtuHOjAAGJ_f4rvTxFRfg2_Lg_aem_Hacd9FBStUOI0FJdJHLmXA&_search=EIA

08/07/2024

Young, unvaccinated horses are at the biggest risk for infection!

07/13/2024

This year, due to state regulations, all cattle that will be going to fair that currently reside on registered dairy farms, will need to be tested for HPAI within 7 days of fair check in via a nasal swab. This does NOT include calves that were purchased from a dairy farm as calves, only animals that currently reside on a dairy farm or it’s associated premises. Sterners Vet will offer testing for animals hauled in on July 20th, 9-11 am at their clinic. Our clinic will offer testing as well but a haul in appointment will need to be scheduled. ( If you have a lot of animals and need a farm visit you will have to pay the farm call.) Both clinics are donating their time to collect and process samples. We suggest that for Clinton County Fair you get your animals tested between July 20-24 to allow test results to be back by check in.

07/04/2024

Happy 4th of July!

Our office is closed today, but we do have a doctor on call if you have an emergency. We will resume normal business hours tomorrow.

07/02/2024

We currently do not have power at the clinic- the phones will be answered by the answering service until we get power.

07/02/2024

You go out to the barn and right away you realize something isn’t right with your horse. He doesn’t want to move- he will eat treats out of your hand but acts like his feet are glued to the ground! You put a halter on and pull on him to move- reluctantly he leans back and then tenderly walks forward with short and stiff steps. He can move, but he is obviously in pain.
Who has been in this situation before? Laminitis or founder has many causes, but one that we see every spring due to the rapid growth of green grass. If your horse seems to have trouble walking or just isn’t as comfortable- don’t wait to call!
This x-ray was taken this spring of a horse that has only been on pasture for 5 days and was almost unable to move due to the changes in his hoof. The coffin bone ( the one closest to the ground) has rotated and is putting pressure on the sole of the hoof.

06/22/2024

Anytime a foal, kid, lamb, cria, calf or piglet starts to act differently is the time to have them seen by a veterinarian. These new-to-the-world creatures can deteriorate so quickly- quick intervention is essential to their survival.

06/18/2024

Donkeys need dental work too! Using hay bales and a helper to keep them in one place ( they don’t like to stand still even when sedated) helps Dr Kristin!

06/10/2024

Did you know?!

A frosty mug and a dip of vanilla ice cream turns root beer (or other soda) into a refreshingly delicious treat -- bringing some protein, calcium and other nutrients to the glass as well!

06/03/2024

**Announcement**
Due to current staffing issues at our clinic, we are temporarily not accepting new clients, and we will be unable to provide services for anyone who is not an active client. (Anyone who has not used our services since January 1, 2020 will be conserved an inactive client. )

05/24/2024

If you have construction by your house, please let us know if we are coming to your farm. Sadly, Google maps often does not know, and we are left guessing the best way to navigate to your farm.

05/17/2024

Dr Kristin was at Peacock Road Family Farm yesterday for health checks on all the animals!

https://peacockrff.com/

04/17/2024

Too funny not to share ( from Dr. Kristin’s kids….)

04/15/2024

: Unlike humans, horses don’t have collarbones. Their shoulders are held to the rest of their skeleton via a sling of muscles and ligaments instead, often referred to as the “thoracic sling.”

Why is this important? We often ask our equine athletes to perform complex movements that require tremendous strength and coordination, and horses carry the majority of their weight in their front end. Therefore, it is imperative that the bulk of the muscles that support the front end are kept healthy and conditioned, and the horse is trained to use their “motor” — that is, engaging the large hind end muscles as much as possible to avoid excessive weight bearing on the front end.

If the front end of the horse is consistently overweighted or not at an appropriate level of fitness, repetitive biomechanical stresses get transferred down the leg to the smaller ligaments and tendons that were not designed to bear this weight, which can then lead to injury.
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Brough to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

04/12/2024

Dr. Kristin was at the Michigan Alpaca Fest today checking in entries for the show on Saturday and Sunday. If you are interested in alpacas, want to learn about them, or purchase alpaca products this is the place to go!

https://mialpacafest.com/

04/11/2024

A sharp increase in pet ownership during COVID-19 has contributed to an exodus of vets from the farm sector as they opt for better paying and less dangerous "companion" animal practices.

04/11/2024

We are having more clients ask us why it is so hard to find a large animal veterinarian- this article discusses several reasons why our profession is struggling with attracting new graduates. A large percentage of large animal veterinarians are switching to small animal medicine or leaving private practice within five years after graduation. 😔

A sharp increase in pet ownership during COVID-19 has contributed to an exodus of vets from the farm sector as they opt for better paying and less dangerous "companion" animal practices.

04/06/2024

Fun Fact Friday...Chocolate milk originated in Jamaica, making it the birthplace of this delightful beverage. Dating back to the mid-17th century, Jamaicans concocted this drink by blending cocoa powder with milk, crafting a refreshing and flavorful treat.🐄
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03/14/2024

Do you know how to correctly put on a use a rope halter on a steer/cow/heifer? We often see kids with their 4-H projects struggling with this and it makes it hard to control your animal if the halter is not correctly applied. This video shows the orientation of the halter and how to apply it to a bovine head.

03/12/2024

Drum roll, please! The information you’ve been waiting for is now available! You can find an information packet all about this year’s 4-H Animal and Veterinary Science Camp on our website: https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/4-h-animal-and-veterinary-science-camp-2024
Registration will open on that same website on April 1st at noon.