Countryside Mobile Veterinary Services

02/14/2025

Due to multiple road closures from the major ice storm and extremely high rate of emergency calls (hi full moon) I have not been able to text everyone back today. I will get all info to you by tomorrow. If you have not heard from me by the evening please send another reminder text.
Thank you.
Dr. Saintsing

01/29/2025

****Its that time of year again***
Pepé Le Pew is on his lustful rounds again.
On my way home from a late night call last night (we’ve brought babies into this world every day at least once a day for the past week on emergency) a skunk crossed my path and this set me up to remind you this ESPECIALLY February is skunk mating season. So before letting your dogs outside turn your lights on for at least 10 minutes and in that time make multiple banging type sounds to encourage the lustful critters to head another direction. Here are some other good tips you can use to help. Skunk of products can be purchased via our online pharmacy as it’s an over the counter product that works amazingly well!! Also please remember that during these times seeing these animals out during different times of the day is normal and not a sign of illness (this is rarely a good indicator of anything besides for an animal needing to relocate from one place to another and not illness).

***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.

01/19/2025

It is with great sadness that we said goodbye to Dora Sue Smith today. She always supported me, had a smile on her face and a story about her cats to tell me. She and David are a beautiful love story one can only wish for everyone. Dora Sue thank you for all you did and we promise to help John take care of your kitty. ❤️ James and I will miss seeing yall on our evenings out.
- Karen Saintsing

01/04/2025

Due to the winter storm it will not be until roads are plowed and ice has had a chance to melt that I will be able to venture out (we live on a multiple rather large hills making transport to below the mountain no matter how nice there sometimes not safe. I just got my truck back in fixed condition. We still have a roof and porch at minimum to fix from the hurricane we are not pushing out luck this year.

12/03/2024

Hy all my wonderful clients it’s a little early but don’t have ducks that non longer produce, or Easter gifts no longer wanted and are a burden? Know someone likely to get ducklings for the upcoming Easter (yes we know that’s a few holidays away). Dr.
Saintsing has for years taken the unwanted Easter cast offs or the older non productive (not that ducks are ever very productive egg wise) to a beautiful scenic pond where they are loved, fed expensive waterfowl food and have huge pond to swim around on. We prefer to wait to around May to obtain these ducks but if you have some that are in need of a home now we will take them and give them they best possible home. We really prefer to not take Pekin ducks since they are so suitable to disease are are not the brightest colors in the duck crayon box but if you have one and it desperately needs a home we won’t say no. Obviously we would prefer vaccinated single sourced ducklings but there are so many that need loving homes we usually take them first. We are also looking for two geese pair bonded any breed as long as they are full of goose grump they would be welcome as well. With us all poultry have a full hospital including an incubator, oxygen capabilities, round the clock care (this is for our own animals only not open for client animals did to state inspection laws). So if you know of a quacker that might fit the bill please let us know and we will arrange pickup preferably when around may.

Thank you
And I know it’s early but bunnies and ducks and animals really of any kind are not “presents” to be given away to children without thought of their future and what happens when they grow up.

Thank you - the best clients one vet could ever ask for and please don’t forget I am not currently available through at least the 16th due to my vet trucks hurricane damage being repaired. I have decided after last years events I am leaving during this time as to not be temped to try things I have no business trying without my vet trucks. I would MUCH rather be working and I will be back working in time for lambing and kidding ASAP!

11/28/2024

****ATTENTION CLIENTS*****

December 4-16th my truck will be undergoing major repair due to the damage sustained by the hurricane.
Since I can’t work without my truck I decided to take a family break so will be completely gone during this time. I am sorry for the inconvenience, Mother Nature is unrelenting and unforgiving. We are sorry for the inconvenience but this is what I felt was best for both me and my clients. I love you all for your support and am heartbroken that this time was literally taken away from me but I promise I will be there for you as much as possible.

11/23/2024

Just a helpful hint: the BEST way to help you large animal be they cow, sheep, goat, llama, alpaca, horse or even a small animal like a rabbit or guniea pig is to make sure they have access to large amounts of high quality hay! (Not alfalfa hay, GRASS hay) this will allow the compartment in their digestive system that causes fermentation to work harder and just like fermentation in the process of making hard liquors you may have seen at brewery’s or tourist attractions in Gatlinburg, fermentation creates an incredible amount of heat! This heat will naturally help you beloved friends stay nice and toasty despite it being chilly outside. It’s also the reason many times you will see them acting more playful when it’s slightly colder than what us humans find “fun”. That rumination vat works all year so the cool can be like a welcome slightly cool fall day for them. Obviously animals in need of higher protein intake may also need grains but if you have a pet ewe, wether, buck/ram that does not have a LARGE volume of females to breed over long ranges, very young animal, very old animal, sick animal or compromised animal for some reason then only large volumes of grass hay are needed.
And always remember PLEASE DONT FEED BOY GOATS GRAIN!!! Alfalfa is more complicated and unless a nutritionist is involved or there is a VERY good reason for feeding it, it should be avoided as well.
Also remember especially for pig owners to make sure to check that you animal has water available ALL day. There are very safe heating water buckets that can help but even hours of time without access to water can cause a condition called “salt toxicity” basically causes an imbalance of salt between the brain and the rest of the body to when they get access to water again it will cause an swelling of the brain that despite even expensive and aggressive treatment is almost always fatal. Over night, or a work shift without water especially in a pig is more than enough time for this to occur. We usually see at least one of these a year and it’s always horrible, it’s always accidental and it never ends well.
And even though we don’t really see horses here is a wonderful flow chart on if you should blanket your horses in the winter made by Dr. Saintsing’s Clinical Vet School Auburn University! This easily applies to goats and sheep with the exception to remember that especially goats are already prone to getting themselves into trouble without the addition of a blanket with multiple straps and things that can be caught onto other objects.

10/05/2024

****Make sure your animals are vaccinated for Rabies****

10/03/2024

I Dr. Saintsing talked personally with one of the regional heads of the department of agriculture veterinary division. I was able to get a lot of information that I had not seen ANYWHERE on social media. We talked at length and it was confirmed right now most of the need and resources are still going to help basic human needs. Finding humans missing, getting supplies to those still cut completely off from the rest of society, getting regulations put on hold so farmers can use alternative sources of fuel to work, and on and on and on.
For ANYONE in need of livestock feed the upper mountain research station has a LOT of supplies you should be able to get everything you need from there. Please let other livestock owners know this information.
For small animals I personally have been in touch with Purina manufacturing company. We are working to get a donation of PET food to ALLEGHANY county asap. I also discussed with them the need in Ashe county and they are going to be working at helping Ashe residents get a good quality pet food.
I also reached out to one of the veterinarians leading the way in food related cardiac deaths to find out about other brands of food. Basically obviously starvation>heart disease but if your only option is not one of the 5 veterinary recommended brand of food (Purina, Hills Scince Diet, Royal Canin, Iams, or Eukenuba) you can still feed you animal that without major concern of cardiac disease for 4 weeks. I would honestly do my best to avoid feeding these foods at all but again avoiding starvation is the goal right now!
Most livestock seem to have been able to find their way to safe locations or perished during the worst of the hurricane. Right now there has not been any request for livestock veterinarians in any of the affected N.C. areas at a government level. Some individuals may be doing their own thing especially on the equine side, but the sad fact is humans are still being found alive and in need of urgent care and it is suspected that within the coming weeks this will change. I personally have made my services open for the local rescue squad if needed and at the state level. Several large drug manufacturers have stated they are to donate drugs and supplies needed but it was not known by my contact how these drugs were distributed or obtained. We are working on finding that information out.
Any time I get new information about anything animal related I will let all yall know. Please please share this information because I feel not many are aware where help is and that anyone is even working on getting farmers and pet owners needs met.
I have included a screenshot of the address and phone number of the upper mountain research center for anyone that may need it.

09/30/2024

So we are able to resume calls. Unfortunately there may be times where Dr. Saintsing has to be at various places dealing with the results of the damage to her house, property and car. Also please keep in mind that many roads are still closed. We have reached out to the local rescue squad to offer services for emergency situations. But please try to keep text to urgent/emergent issues only. Right now with so much going on Dr. Saintsing has a lot on her plate and if you have questions that can wait please write them down to ask her later. We will also continue to not respond to messages that are addressed in our voicemail.
So as clearly stated in our voicemail and Facebook messages we are not set up or capable to handle small animal urgent or emergent issues. You need to call the 24/7 small animal emergency clinic or your regular vet; we do not do any equine work beyond basic vaccines (we still recommend you develop a relationship with an equine veterinarian that can help you in emergency situations); and finally we are not taking any wildlife at this time. We will not respond to any messages regarding these things as they have already be addressed in our voicemail/facebook messages. Dr. Saintsing gets hundreds of text a day these text that have been obviously addressed in the voicemail take time away from other messages from people that we can actually help and address their emergencies.
We are well aware this is a very stressful time for everyone, including Dr. Saintsing so please be mindful that we ALL are doing the best we can. For those that have suffered damage there are several options out there to help you navigate FEMA and insurance. Below are a couple of screengrabs of these sources.

09/27/2024

Well life has other plans no matter how much you try to more plan. Unfortunately a tree hit Dr.
Saintsing’s house and truck. So we will not be able to go to the sheep and goat festival as planned tomorrow as we will be working on minimizing further damage and getting everything else we can done.
We apologize for the inconvenience and that we have let down.

09/27/2024

Please note that due to flooding the areas we can get to are greatly reduced. Also usually the roads coming on/off the mountain usually experience a higher than normal amount of wrecks so during this storm our ability to get to certain areas may be hindered or not possible. Please remember to use caution when driving and working. Also please check of livestock and make sure they have not got trapped in an unsafe area due to flooding!
Also thank you to all the hard working farmers who have to work and feed livestock, check fences, etc in this weather. They are always the true heroes!

Also don’t forget about the Greatest Of All Time Sheep and Goat Festival in Dublin Virginia THIS SATURDAY!! Dr. Saintsing is the official Veterinarian! Unfortunately she was planning on bringing at least one of her sheep Margaret for everyone to meet but the weather had other plans and Margaret only travels with a chauffeur while lying on the back seat of a car so she can watch the other “servants” (that’s what she calls people) pass by and she will not be clean enough to transport that way. But there will be plenty of other amazing attractions and sheep and goats to see.

08/31/2024

Hi everyone,
Just wanted to let everyone know that text has been very erratic recently also voicemail has been erratic as how long it allows people to speak for months and can’t be fixed at least so far. As far as we are aware the text messages should be fixed as of right now.
Also as it says in our voicemail we do not/can not see small animal urgent/emergent services (we are not equipped to provide these services) follow the detailed instructions in voicemail we will not respond to any text/voicemails about such matters. We already receive 100’s of text/voicemail/messages a day we have to triage. The exact same rules apply to wildlife calls/text/messages at this time.
We are sorry for anyone inconvenience the interruption of services has affected.
Video of some extra special sheep getting some extra special treats.

08/08/2024

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