Countryside Mobile Veterinary Services

08/08/2024

Our region is always one of the highest in the US for rabies! Please remember any mammal can carry the disease!

07/11/2024

***LECTURE TOMORROW (July 11th)!!!***

Dr. Saintsing will be at the Surry County Ag. Extension Building tomorrow at 6pm giving a lecture on Sheep and Goat Hisbandry. The lecture will hit on a little bit of everything about sheep and goats!

Address: 915 E Atkins St. in Dobson, NC
Time: 6PM

If any current clients are in need of medications this would be an optimal time for a pick up, just make sure to send us a text or message so we can make sure she has any meds needed. 

06/20/2024

Please note that Dr. Saintsing will be gone for the next week starting today for continuing education.
For food animal veterinary emergencies please contact Virginia Tech Veterinary School at 540-231-9043 even though we never regularly provide equine emergency services you can also use the same number if you have an equine emergency. Again we do NOT ever provide small animal urgent or emergency services but if you are needing such services you can contact Carolina Vet Specialist at 336-896-0902.
For established clients you may text Dr. Saintsing with any questions but please realize response maybe delayed >24 hours, though she will try to check text messages regularly.

05/03/2024

Large Animal Practice Services Update
We are now implementing emergency fees to any sick/emergency calls we see for anyone who does not use us for routine care (pregnancy checks, hoof trims, vaccines, herd health visits, etc) at least yearly.
This will be implemented immediately. If you have only used our services for emergency cases only know that there will be a significant emergency fee added to these calls no matter the time or day. We love our clients and providing help when needed but feel that our most outstanding clients need to be rewarded for their professional relationship with us. If anyone has any questions please text or message us as always. As always thank you for being amazing clients.
Our little lamb Freddie Mercury all grown up! Okay well a little more growing to do but no longer a “vet truck lamb” we miss him. 😓

04/25/2024

***If you plan on selling/buying/showing/traveling for any reason with a dairy breed, testing is REQUIRED by federal law before this can be done***

USDA is now ordering all dairy cattle must be tested prior to interstate travel as a way to help stop the spread of HPAI H5N1. This comes a day after FDA confirmed virus genetic material was found in retail milk samples.

04/09/2024

Hey friends I just wanted to show you something all large animal vets run into constantly. We call it “Vet Racing”.
Reaching out to multiple vets to see who can get there first. This is completely unprofessional and degrading. Most of the time we are on farm calls that will take us at minimum an hour usually multiple hours. So unless it’s a true emergency and what I am working on is something I can stop doing (i can’t stop in the middle of a surgery and just leave for one example) it’s going to be a few hours before I can get out there. Same with ANY OTHER VET! Believe it or not we are not sitting around just waiting for you to call. We have other clients that have scheduled weeks or more commonly months ahead of time to get me to their farm. These are established clients that I consider part of my family. As any vet I have talked to around town and they will tell you how much I pride myself on the quality of my clients. They will calmly wait on me to be done with what I am working on and move on to them. They know in an emergency situation I’ll do my best to get out there asap, they also know that I will tell them when it is NOT a true emergency meaning I will still come out but I will deal with my other clients first then do them.
I will not vet race, if you want someone out and they can come out in 2 hours then wait the two hours. Obviously that person is your first choice and I am not going to be so rude to them as to go on a call that they are already rescheduling their entire day to go see. That is not how I treat my colleagues! We all have excellent relationships. Now if a colleague has told you to reach out to me to see if I can come instead please tell me those exact words were said. I can’t read minds in person or especially across 5g internet.
I am super picky about what clients I take on and y’all are some of the most amazing people a vet could call their clients. I am so proud of that, it’s truly made my life better. But if you are wanting to be a client this is not a good way to start. 

You have to click on the picture to see the full message

04/02/2024

*****CRITICAL PSA*****

First human case of avian influenza in the US and it came from drinking raw cows milk from an infected cow.
So in the past 3 weeks in the US we have had our first case of avian influenza in goats, cattle and humans.
And infected cattle have been shown to shed the virus in milk at a capacity to infect a human. There is no reason to believe this does not occur in goats as well. Yall we are just barely starting migration season. This is very very very bad news. At this point all poultry should be kept in covered enclosed areas at all times, they should not be allowed to be around any other species ESPECIALLY PIGS as pigs are great a mutating influenza viruses and pigs doing just something like this was the cause of the 1918 influenza outbreak!
As always all milk consumed from any species should. E pasteurized - raw milk was the cause of the first US human case and the virus had been found in the milk of multiple cattle prior to the human case on a separate farm. Goat milk is not immune to this! If you have any birds that have died I can not recommend more you take them to the state lab for testing. This could save you or a loved one’s life. If you have lots of neonatal deaths, still borns or animals that have drastic decreases in milk production you should have them tested! This early in the season for us to have this am u issues already is a HUGE deal. Our area is definitely in a main migratory path, previous years we had multiple flock infections. When in doubt test! If you are frequently around free range poultry or for some reason insist on drinking raw milk (this is a horrible idea anyways) and you become ill make sure you communicate to your human health care provider you have a high chance of exposure.

Stay safe!

03/29/2024

****PSA Update on ANYONE producing their own milk****

This was a press release I have obtained that was from Virginia APHIS.

Wild migratory birds believed to be source of infection; viral testing and epidemiologic efforts continue

Commercial milk supply remains safe due to both federal animal health requirements and pasteurization

WASHINGTON, March 25, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as state veterinary and public health officials, are investigating an illness among primarily older dairy cows in Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico that is causing decreased lactation, low appetite, and other symptoms.

As of Monday, March 25, unpasteurized, clinical samples of milk from sick cattle collected from two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas, as well as an oropharyngeal swab from another dairy in Texas, have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Additional testing was initiated on Friday, March 22, and over the weekend because farms have also reported finding deceased wild birds on their properties. Based on findings from Texas, the detections appear to have been introduced by wild birds. Initial testing by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories has not found changes to the virus that would make it more transmissible to humans, which would indicate that the current risk to the public remains low.

Federal and state agencies are moving quickly to conduct additional testing for HPAI, as well as viral genome sequencing, so that we can better understand the situation, including characterization of the HPAI strain or strains associated with these detections.

At this stage, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health. Dairies are required to send only milk from healthy animals into processing for human consumption; milk from impacted animals is being diverted or destroyed so that it does not enter the food supply. In addition, pasteurization has continually proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk. Pasteurization is required for any milk entering interstate commerce.

Federal agencies are also working with state and industry partners to encourage farmers and veterinarians to report cattle illnesses quickly so that we can monitor potential additional cases and minimize the impact to farmers, consumers and other animals. For the dairies whose herds are exhibiting symptoms, on average about ten percent of each affected herd appears to be impacted, with little to no associated mortality reported among the animals. Milk loss resulting from symptomatic cattle to date is too limited to have a major impact on supply and there should be no impact on the price of milk or other dairy products.

This is a rapidly evolving situation, and USDA and federal and state partners will continue to share additional updates as soon as information becomes available. More information on biosecurity measures can be found here.

***** What this means for us here in NW NC, SW VA******

North Carolina and Virginia coast and other parts are a main flight path for migratory water fowl.
We KNOW that now both goats and cattle have been found sick with avian influenza. We know it has been found both in the throat AND in the milk of cattle. This is been found in multiple western and with the goats Minnesota.
If you have chickens AND goat or cattle they need to be separated from each other and keeping cattle from areas where migratory waterfowl might congregate (ponds and other bodies of water - medium to large creeks).
Ad ALWAYS the consuming of raw milk is NEVER recommended so many deathly diseases are transmitted via the consumption of raw milk, pasteurization was a life saving historic invention for a reason. It saves lives. In NC it’s illegal to sell raw milk for any kind of human consumption but should not be sold for the consumption of any species. If you purchase raw milk for the consumption of bottle babies you should be pasturizing at home (there are many many many great step by step internet sites to tell you how to do this at home) prior to feeding it or storage.
Keeping poultry in areas with closed in sides and solid roofs is the best way to keep your poultry flock out of harms way though housing similar to commercial poultry housing is obviously far superior.
Any cattle or goats that come down with signs from an infected unknown illness that have been given unpasteurized milk or have poultry on the property. Should be tested.
This disease has not been reported in either NC or VA but NC last year did have an extremely heavy avian influenza outbreak both in wild birds and domestic poultry.
Pasturization, pasteurization, Pasteurization ie using common sense proven procedures over year and years and years will help protect us from disease and a possible MAJOR medical issue. Also having your poultry tested for avian influenza routinely and submitting ANY poultry that have died from any unknown illness or are found dead will be critical in helping prevent this from occurring. We really need everyone cooperation on this. This has the potential to affect the GLOBAL prices of milk, meat and poultry products and it starts with you!

Fatalities in human cases of avian influenza vary greatly depending on the type but have been reported as high as 70% ended up dead after contracting one of the variants! This is definitely not something we want to find out the hard way about!

I will do my best to keep any and all up to date with further information as it comes.

03/21/2024

*****PSA******

Today we were informed that in Minnesota a goat kid that tested positive for avian influenza. This is the first time that this influenza has been found in ruminants. What does this mean for us? That’s probably what you’re asking yourself well that’s what I am here for! Especially with the rise of multiple species being found on the same farm on top of the on coming spring bird migration you need to be extra cautious about allowing commingling of any birds with other animals, keeping all poultry in a covered, protected environment and taking any bird that has died from unknown causes straight to your state diagnostic lab (North Carolina - Elkin, Virginia - Wytheville). Also reporting any large number of wild avian deaths you notice to the proper authorities. Right now it seems that animals with a poor immune system are those at risk but unfortunately that makes humans extremely vulnerable. It sounds like the current avian influenza count is set to be even higher than last years. Hopefully those anticipate numbers end up wrong but like good land and livestock stewards we should do our part at keeping our animals and families as safe as possible!

03/05/2024

Some days you really have the weight of your work on your shoulders. 😂

02/23/2024

Happy Lamb Month!!!

It's National Lamb Month. Did you know according to the USDA, there were 3.03 Million head of lambs in 2023 in the U.S, but was a decrease of 2% from the previous year.

02/15/2024

02/13/2024

Why you need proper working facilities no matter now small your bovid is or how tame it is.
If you own cattle you need to own facilities FIRST!

02/13/2024

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

02/10/2024

This guide is a simple reference for beginner sheep and goat producers experiencing the lambing or kidding season. It includes instructions for facilities, equipment, neonatal care, complications, and processing.

02/08/2024

Our little Freddie has grown both in size (now 7.8lbs) and celebrity! You can see him when he was at his 4lb mark in this weeks Allegrany News paper!!! He and Dr. Brinager deserve all the press they can get! Freddie mostly stays at home but on Dr. Karen’s surgery days at Animal Ark he still comes and supervises or naps. Bringing smiles to faces it what life is all about!

02/08/2024

It’s that time of year yet again! In my travels which have been quite extensive lately I have noticed a ton of roadkill skunks! You can get skunk off via my online store!!!

***PSA***

Late January, February and early March is skunk matting season! It’s not unusual or a sign of any disease to see skunks especially this time of year out and about even during the day. To help reduce the risk of your pet getting sprayed by Pepe Le Pew you can try these tips!

*Turn on your outside lights and make some noise about 3-5 minutes prior to letting your pets outside.
*Keep attractants like cat food, compost piles, garbage where it will not attract wildlife.
*Closing off areas that could act as shelter for these love seeking critters.

If your pet does get sprayed
*Wash pet quickly as possible with 1qt of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide, 1 teaspoon of Dawn Dish Liquid and 1/4 cup of baking soda.
*For between the eyes, around the mouth and ears we recommend Skunk off Squirter! Which you can order via our online pharmacy
* For your house placing ground cinnamon on a baking sheet and baking it in the oven with the door open (keep animals and children out of kitchen)
*For future baths skunk off shampoo is the best!
*Vanilla (ESPECIALLY Pet Oder Brand) candles also help with skunk odor in your home/indoor spaces.
*Dont forget that rarely skunk spray can cause toxicity in pets! It’s important to have your pet seen for bloodwork if you notice your pet acting sluggish, if their gums are pale, breathing heavy, etc!
*Direct sprays to eyes can cause significant irritation that requires veterinary attention.

01/27/2024

Today we got some amazing news! We had our first
Clun Forest lamb that we made via laparoscopic artificial insemination.
During the initial ultrasound (honestly the only ultrasounds we did after the lap AI process) Dr.
Karen could not 100% confirm the pregnancy at that time so this one was a bit of an extremely happy surprise. We should have some more babies on the ground any time!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

01/17/2024

You might notice Dr. Saintsing has a riding companion for the next little while. Meet Freddie Mercury, a little St. Croix hair sheep, who is recovering from a bad wound on his leg and needs to be feed on a certain schedule. He thoroughly enjoys the heated seats and passenger side climate control 😂. He weighs a whopping 4lbs and is about a week old!

01/14/2024

St. Croix lambs and ewes. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ So cute and definitely my favorite breed of sheep. I could have a whole house full of lambs right now!
Right now is our busiest season we are absolutely slammed so if you have a routine visit you are wanting to schedule please text me now! It will likely be 3-4 weeks before we can get you scheduled in. Also we have been getting a lot of spam messages through our facebook messenger so if you have sent a message and not got a response back please don’t be afraid of sending another message so we can get back to you. Also we are getting about 25-50 text a day so please feel free to do the same if you have not got a text back within a few days (if non emergent) as sometimes even the phone gets overwhelmed and does not show notices as it should.

01/03/2024

Don’t think I know any clients on this food (it’s not a recommended food for sure) but just in case it’s especially a North Carolina food.

📸 Look at this post on Facebook https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/blue-ridge-beef-recall/?en_click=1&utm_campaign=2024-01-02&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=feature&max=VPN-07027&fbclid=IwAR2SBGtwmKhAQ38g2ysut6IhUrHEPPwYxsiOsCvqwDtq8E7pMV7-5uDWgDc_aem_ATpxUV3I76SSStfiV-OAUZfyO8lMRfb6f0RUXMJbIHcEHPa16CfmGhLoIl2kjjkgaXM

Blue Ridge Beef issues voluntary recall of Blue Ridge Beef Kitten Grind, Blue Ridge Kitten Mix, and Blue Ridge Beef Puppy Mix due to the contamination

01/01/2024

Thank you all for your support and encouragement this past year! Here is to a wonderful new year!

12/17/2023

Please Share!!!

Posting for a client, I have personally examined and vaccinated each puppy.
Full blood Great Pyrenees puppies ready for Christmas! From working parents but also great family dogs. Located in Westfield, NC. Please contact Grace for more info.
828-964-3566

Please call or text the number above. PMs and comments on this post will not replied to.

12/11/2023

Thank a farmer! Remember they feed the world!

12/10/2023

Our cute patient of the week (to be honest it’s been kinda a depressing and difficult week to be a vet) is this very new in this picture ~4 hours old boy donkey baby!!!

12/06/2023

This is one of our cutest patients recently. Meet Annabelle she is a belted Galloway and mini Scottish highlander cross with a genetic mutation called chondrodysplasia or dwarfism. She is a good example of lots of things the biggest is that even “mini/micro” livestock are going to be big enough to require special handling facilities, they can be dangerous and unfortunately breeders can be very deceitful so making sure you buy from someone that is legitimate.
As is common with “mini/micro” pigs “mini/micro” cattle are often (by bad breeders) sold at a much younger age than advertised and are frequently starved to “stunt” growth or at least keep them as little as possible until the new owner obtains the baby. This means that many unfortunate new livestock owners end up with underweight, babies that will need bottle fed, possible need veterinary care, and will grow up to be much bigger than most plan.
Lucky for Annabelle her owners knew that even “mini/micro” needed special facilities, they also realized almost instantly that she was sickly and needed veterinary care, appropriate nutrition that was different than what they were told and they addressed these! Now Annabelle is doing so much better she is growing, playing, drinking and eating. Sadly not everyone or every critter will end up this way some die, some end up so much bigger than the new owners were expected requiring them to rehome their pet. It also can cause difficulties providing them proper veterinary care without proper facilities. So keep in mind that yes they are cute but “mini/micro” but that still is going to mean for pigs typically 200lbs cattle 700-900lbs.
When considering purchasing any critter do research with veterinarians, the breeders, other breeders, other owners, the breeders veterinarian, visiting the breeders and other owners of the critter you are interested in potentially raising.
I can’t thank Annabelle’s owners enough for letting me be her veterinarian, for knowing they will need appropriate facilities, for being so observant and quick about both obtaining her care and adjusting their care for Annabelle. We are in love with this entire family!

Also please note that not all breeders of these cute critters are not like this but sadly they are out there.