Sandpoint Area Veterinary & Emergency - SAVE

08/30/2024

Our office will be closed for Monday to enjoy the holiday. We will be available for emergencies as always! If a vet is needed Monday, call the office at 208 946 1998 and use extension 0.

08/28/2024

While the winter solstice is 115 days away, the days have been getting shorter. If you have a horse that you suspect has cushings or PPID (Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction), the window to test for this disease is coming to a close. How does winter and daylight correlate to a disease in horses? Horses have a pituitary gland that secrets ACTH and during the fall with the shorter daylight hours, the body naturally secrets more ACTH. ACTH causes a pathway which allows insulin to increase and horses to make thicker coats. If you were to test a horse between mid-September to the end of December, the ACTH might be 2-3 times higher than the “normal” value. The normal values are based on the other 9-10 months of the year and do not consider this seasonal pattern. Because the decrease daylight stimulates the production of this hormone and can cause it to be elevated above normal, it is not recommended to test during this period of time. If you are looking to get you horse tested, please call our office ASAP to get on the schedule. After mid-September, we will be discouraging testing due to inaccurate results.

08/16/2024

Guess who’s turning the big 3-0 today? Yes! It’s our own doctor Katelyn Jaqueway! You’ve probably seen her around at some of the farms treating anything from piglets to draft horses! You might also have seen her at some of the local rodeos or shows either acting as a veterinarian or a photographer or both! She is one of our valued veterinarians here at Sandpoint Area Veterinary & Emergency - SAVE so please join us in wishing her a VERY happy day!!!!

07/19/2024

The heat got you beat? We got some tips from AAEP for the weather.

1. Work your animals during the early morning hours between first daylight and noon. This includes livestock and horses.
2. Provide fresh clean water at all times. Some animals such as pigs might like a mud pit and some ice treats.
3. Try to provide shade.
4. Box fans can be good but make sure engines don't overheat and cause a fire. If you are using them make sure they are clean from hay and dust that could cause a fire.
5. If your cow or other livestock is open mouth breathing, this is not good and attempts should be made to cool them down without stressing them out more.
6. Horses can have a 101F with ruminate animals and swine having a 103. If animals are running higher than the normal temperature, consider cooling them off with water or alcohol baths.

07/03/2024

After an amazing 2024 breeding season having 2 shipments go missing and 2 arrive mostly dead this week, our final week of the breeding season I'm taking that as a sign that we are done this year! Thank you to all of my amazing clients for trusting me with your reproduction dreams. After 5 months of working every day of the week to get your mares bred both on the farm and at our facility it's safe to say I'm done :) Cant wait to kiss all those new fuzzy noses next year!

07/03/2024

Just a reminder that we will be closed for July 4th and 5th to give our employees sometime off to enjoy the holiday. As always a vet will be on call so if you have an emergency, please call (208) 946 1998 and use extension 0.

06/24/2024

Sharing this again because 4th of July is next week 🇺🇲🎆

With the Fourth of July festivities just around the corner, now is a good time to make preparations to keep your horses, farm animals and pets safe during any fireworks that will be happening in your area.

The graphic below lists some tips to get you started. If your horses are staying out overnight, be sure to check your fencing ahead of time and neutralize any hazards like rocks, branches or holes that could lead to injury if the animals start bolting. If you are concerned your animals may get loose, make sure your contact information is on a tag on the halter (provided i’is a breakaway one) or braided in their mane.
Some horses require sedation to help them get through. If you are really worried about your horse's safety, consult your veterinarian about calming agents.

This is also a good time to update and review your fire response program at your barn. Make sure you have the number for the fire department, everyone knows the address of the barn, plenty of fire extinguishers are available, and any fire hazards are removed from the barn.

No matter what your Independence Day plans are, above all please remember to practice safety and be considerate of the people and the animals living around you so EVERYONE may have an enjoyable celebration.

Happy 4th! 🇺🇸
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Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

06/22/2024

Newport rodeo fixin’ to turn loose! SAVE is on hand to make sure the stock is healthy and cared for. . .

06/19/2024

HERE IS OUR EXCITING NEWS!!! PLEASE JOIN US IN WELCOMING THE NEWEST DVM MEMBER OF THE SAVE TEAM:
DR. ELI PAROS!!!
A 2024 graduate of WSU college of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Paros comes from rural Western Washington, where he grew up raising cattle,horses, and sheep. He was introduced to veterinary medicine at a young age while working alongside his father, a large animal ambulatory veterinarian. Some of his fondest memories as a child included pulling calves on early spring mornings and
developing relationships with local farmers and ranchers. He participated in both 4H and FFA, showing dairy cattle and sheep. He enjoys working with cattle, horses, and small ruminants. While attending Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, he developed a passion for equine internal medicine.
Outside of work, he enjoys fly fishing, hunting, and taking advantage of the great outdoors that North Idaho has to offer.

06/17/2024

Well this is exciting but not the news we are ABOUT to share….. we apologize to everyone who has had issues getting through to us. We have a combination of cell phones, VOIP, digital /remote service (Grasshopper) a LANDLINE just installed (that refuses to display our business name despite promises by Ziply) and NOTHING is working up to par. So we have gone old school and from now on this is our phone …..
But seriously. We hope that within the next week (according to Ziply) we will have a land line with caller ID so when we call you back you know it’s us and not spam… we are trying and are amazed how difficult this can be in an era of extreme technology. Thank you all for your patience.

04/11/2024

Please bare with us as our phones are having issues. We are able to accept voice-mails but we are having issues with the office phone ringing. Our emergency line is still working but we might unavailable while working with a client so please leave a message and we will get back to you. If you are trying to schedule an appointment, you can always email us as well at [email protected]

04/01/2024

Warning, graphic images coming!

Since calving season is here, why not go over 2 very important things. What's the difference between the left and right image? The left image is a normal placenta. Cattle can have a placenta retained for 5-7 days post calving. As long as mom is normal, these things should fall out on their own. The picture on the right is a uterine prolapse. These are an emergency. Call your vet ASAP. These have to be put back in and sutured in. If you have any questions about what you cow might have, you can always take a picture and send it to the vet on call!

03/14/2024

I’m resharing this post from last year because I believe it even more strongly today. My favorite horse is always the one right in front of me 💚💚 I’m not just talking about the ones I own either! I feel that way about MOST of my patients!

Heart Horse

It’s strange how sometime a theme will run through your daily life; like the universe is trying to get a message to you. Recently the one that keeps popping up in odd places and conversations is the idea of the “Heart Horse”. You know the concept. It’s the well held romantic belief among horse folk that your horse life will be graced with that one special horse. Once you have punched that ticket you won’t get another one like it.

I used to believe this as well. I had a very special Morgan named Cory, when I was 15. He was gorgeous and talented, and we bonded like a young girl and her gelding are want to do. I assumed this was my heart horse. I knew he wouldn’t be my last horse but I figured after blowing my proverbial wad right off the bat with my one special heart horse at 15 years of age I wouldn’t ever bond with one like that again.

After vet school I finally had some time to concentrate on my horse life again and realized that it was time for me to consider the poor horse that would become Cory’s replacement in my life and my heart. I had already decided that he would never be as special to me as Cory but I would just have to do my best. It was also the first time I had taken on a young green horse to bring along. I’ll admit that my brain and my heart were guarded from completely bonding with poor Chico. We eventually worked through that and losing Cory at 33 finally forced me to attempt to give my whole heart to Chico and really give him the credit he deserved. Before I knew it, he was all up in my heart. Then I began to actually wonder if maybe Cory wasn’t my heart horse after all, maybe it was Chico!

Fast forward 15 years and my pasture has become liberally sprinkled with Morgan geldings. I’ve started to have trouble remembering how many horses have graced my life over the past 10-15 years and must actually think about it for a minute (which is a valuable exercise, kind of like counting your blessings!) Not all the horses that have entered my life have stayed with me. Some I didn’t bond with at all (that happens!). Some didn’t want to do the same kind of work that I wanted to do. Sometimes I just accumulated too many and had to make some tough decisions.
What I have come to appreciate with the amazing group of horses I’m currently riding is that you definitely get more than one heart horse. You can even have more than one at a time! The key is to give your whole heart to each one. Allow yourself the privelege of appreciating what each one brings to the table. When I would bring each of my boys into the arena this winter and allow myself the time and space to just be with each of them, I would look into their eyes and think,” Yeah, this one. This one is my favorite”. Then I would bring in the next and feel the exact same way about that one. My 3 Morgan boys couldn’t be much different in skills, looks and level of education. But each of them is my heart horse. I’m even getting quite smitten with Dan’s QH gelding that I’ve had the privelege to ride this winter.

So, do yourself and your horses a favor. Don’t buy into the heart horse belief that you get just one. You get to love them all just as deeply. Or maybe I’m just incredibly fortunate with a pasture full of amazing horses. I’d buy that too!

Jenni Grimmett
3/14/2023

03/07/2024

Tormund is helping us get into the spirit for St. Paddy’s day!

03/04/2024

Attention Newport/Cusick/Usk folks! I'm scheduled your way this coming Wed March 6th. I have a openings available if you are in need of veterinary care. Would love to fill my day in one locale rather than be-bop around ALL the northern counties that day :) You can call the office at 208-946-1998 ext. 1 to schedule.

02/29/2024

Do you have an event this summer where you might need a vet on the grounds? As the show and rodeo seasons approach we are trying to get our schedules figured out. If you need a vet to be at the grounds for animal checks, testing, or on standby for the actual event, please call us today so we can get you scheduled!

02/05/2024

Do you have your thermometer? With lots of babies being born, we’ve gotten a few questions about them. One of the first questions we’re going to ask is about their temperature. Most newborns, especially within the first 24 hours, are terrible at maintaining their own body temperature. They have spent their whole life so far in mom whose kept her temperature between 99-101F. Then out of nowhere they get evicted into the north Idaho weather. Luckily these newborns have chosen to come into the world when its 25-40F and not -25F. They hit the ground wet and with very little fat reserves. The first step is to get up and get nursing. Some are a little slower than others and unfortunately might not nurse right away or struggle to get up. Some mothers are also not very good and let their babies lay there or can just straight up ignore them.

If you have a newborn that is not 12 hours old and seems very dull and lethargic, please take a temperature. If they’re new within the last few hours and have no suckle response, take a temperature. If they were up at one point but now seem weak and can’t get up, take a temperature. If the newborn’s temperature is below 99/98 and is dropping, this means they’re hypothermic. Other signs include cold feet and ears. When an animal is cold, blood is shunted from all of the body to their main organs and this is why their ears and limbs are cool. There are two things you can do at this point. Get them warm and get some energy into them.

Warming them up. The sky's the limit. You can bring them into the garage, your house, the car, or anywhere you see fit. You can put blankets on them and use heaters, lamps, and lights. If you want to be fancy, you can put them in a bathtub with warm water or in some cases, people have even put their calves in a hot tub. The only concern with using water is that it might need to gradually warm up and you might need to change it out as it cools down. If you are using heaters and other things that use electricity or gas, please monitor your animals and don’t leave them unattended. They can burn their skin and if a heater gets knocked over, it could start a fire.

If there is no suckle response, you can try to tube them. Preferably fresh colostrum from mom but thawed colostrum from another animal of that same species, or colostrum replacer are all acceptable options. Tubing and bottle feeding at this time do come with their own risk such as potential aspiration so proceed with caution. Another way to get energy into these little ones is with karo syrup or molasses. These products are high in sugar and when applied to the gums and inside the mouth, the mucus membranes (ie gums) absorb the sugar and it’s a pretty instant energy source.

02/02/2024

Tormund is excited to welcome everyone to our client education day tomorrow at 10 am! Please join our staff as we dive into some hot topics about equine medicine! 10 am! 1636 Baldy Park Dr. Sandpoint!

01/26/2024

On this featured Friday, we’re going to talk about Dr. Grimmett. Next Saturday Dr. Grimmett will be talking about horse nutrition. As a reminder, next Saturday is our Client Education Day. It will be at 10am at our office space on 1636 Baldy Park Dr in Sandpoint.
Dr. Jenni Grimmett is a local born and raised North Idaho gal. She was active in the Kootenai 4H program growing up. She attended and graduated from WSU CVM in 2002. Upon graduation, she completed a theriogenology based internship while at WSU. In 2004 she created Triton vet service which then merged in 2020 with Dr. Grace’s vet service to become Save. When she’s not talking about the magic and beauty of equine reproduction, you can find her riding her trusty morgans either up in the mountains or in an arena practicing fundamentals skills for cowboy dressage.

01/23/2024

01/22/2024

With foaling/lambing/kidding/calving season right around the corner, do you have all your supplies? Are you ready? This is your reminder to get your stuff ready. Check you towel supply. Check your medical equipment. Do you need CMPK gel or iron medication for shots. Do you have your banders ready for castration. Maybe check the heat lamps to make sure they work. Check your bottles and colostrum/milk replacer. Is the vet number in a clear and easy location in case you need to call. Have you gone over any plans with your kids/4h members? Do you have all your supplements/electrolytes and other nutritional additives ready? It might be still a little early for some but with some things going on back order and with shipping delays, its better to have the stuff ready to go and on hand when needed instead of driving to the store at 6pm during a snowstorm because that’s conveniently when all babies decide to be born.

01/19/2024

For the next few Fridays, we’re going to talk about our client education day and topics that are being presented. Our Client education day is February 3rd starting at 10am at 1636 Baldy Park Drive in Sandpoint.
Next up is Dr. Grace who will be talking about colic in the horse. Dr. Grace was born in Colorado but spent most of her life on the east coast. While living on the east coast, Dr. Grace graduated from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and completed an equine surgical internship at the New Bolton Center at the University of Pennsylvania. She worked for 20 years in equine practice and also taught at Cornell for two years. She moved out to ID in 2011 and has been here since.

01/18/2024

With the recent snow fall and winter finally arriving in N. Idaho it's hard to imagine that spring is just around the corner! Now is the time to start planning for your group herd health day! Here at SAVE we proudly offered barn days for large groups of horses each spring. This is a great time to get your friends or boarders together to make sure everyone is current on vaccinations, Coggins test (EIA) and travel documents and wellness examinations before the busy summer months of riding! We offer a limited number of Saturday appointments in the spring for these large gatherings. If you have 10 or more horses in your group we wave the farm call charge! Please give the office a call today to get your group scheduled!

01/17/2024

Winter weather got us all feeling frisky!

01/17/2024

Come join SAVE for some educational experiences. Horses will be this Friday! Ruminants will be February 2nd and pigs on the 16th. Bonner 4H members can register through the zuite program. Kootenai and Boundary County members are allowed to attend as well.
*If any 4H member has a pig due to farrow the second week of February, please let us know. We might utilize some of your piglets in the demo in exchange for some free service. If you have piglets due around this time, please call our office for more information.

01/16/2024

Is there anything more exciting than the prospect of new life? I think because of the prolonged gestation in mares the anticipation for our foals is that much higher. Are you anticipating eagerly a cute little foal this spring? Now is the time to have your mare examined to prevent difficulties with this upcoming big event. Placentitis in mares is a common cause of both late term abortion and unthrifty foals. It can be detected early and treated successfully with early detection with a simple, transrectal ultrasound to measure the CTUP which can tell us how things are progressing and catch problems before they become insurmountable. A CTUP measurement evaluates the combined thickness of the uterus and placenta. It’s easy and relatively non-invasive for the mare. it can also be used to estimate the stage of gestation. We can also evaluate the foal and take measurements of the eye or the bones in the front feet to evaluate stage of gestation in cases of pasture breeding. Call the office to schedule a late term gestational evaluation for your pregnant mare today so that we can help make sure they are both healthy as we approach spring.

Pictured below are measurements taken at the junction of uterus and cervix. We can see the amniotic membrane as well as the attached placental membranes and uterine body. This mare was approximately 5 months of gestation. The measurements are roughly equivalent to 1mm/month of gestation. Notice the mm here are in cm.

~Dr. Grimmett

01/14/2024

See our event page for more details!

01/13/2024

Come join SAVE for some educational experiences. Horses will be the 19th of January followed by ruminants on the 2nd and pigs on the 16th. 4H members can register through the zuite program.
*If any 4H member has a pig due to farrow the second week of February, please let us know. We might utilize some of your piglets in the demo in exchange for some free service. If you have piglets due around this time, please call our office for more information.

01/13/2024

Thinking about riding this weekend? Some more information if the weather hasn't forced you inside already. Stay safe. Warmer temperatures are coming. https://www.totalequinevets.com/client-center/resources/TEVApedia/equine-cold-weather-riding?fbclid=IwAR2pH9T8aQtk7a8gkxVbfkEj5i3d3OESEVOXhIRQ7_Zq06BPra_Tgir9yi0

Winter is upon us and most of us still want to ride. Find out more from TEVA!

01/12/2024

For the next few Fridays, we’re going to talk about our client education day and topics that are being presented. Our Client education day is February 3rd starting at 10am at 1636 Baldy Park Drive in Sandpoint.

First up is Dr. Jaqueway. Dr. Jaqueway will be presenting on natural disasters (more specifically Wildfires) and how to plan/prepare and evacuate. Dr. Jaqueway is a north Idaho transplant from Schoharie, NY. In the summer of 2011, her hometown experience a “500 year flood” caused by Hurricane Irene. Multiple dairy farms and a few horse farms were affected. Some farms lost everything and were never able to recover. Damages from the storm in her specific county were estimated to be $130 million. Since this disaster, Dr Jaqueway has taken an interest in large animal rescue in both natural disasters and accidents. In the summer of 2018, Dr. Jaqueway attended a Large Animal Rescue Course held in Lexington, KY and then was able to bring that course to her vet school. Since being licensed, she’s assisted with removing a horse from a septic tank and has even rode in the back of a horse ambulance.