Veterinary Care By: Sam Collins, MPH-DVM University of Tennessee
Objectives Finding a Veterinarian in your area When to call a veterinarian? What constitutes an animal emergency?
Finding A Veterinarian Tennessee Department of Agriculture website http://tn.gov/agriculture/article/ag-businesses-veterinarians Allows you to search by county Tennessee Agriculture Enhancement Program Call your local extension agent Contact the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine
What kind of critters do you want???
When to call a Veterinarian? Prior to beginning your farm Advice on zoonotic disease It takes a village Producer Extension agent Veterinarian Possibly a nutritionist
When to call a Veterinarian? Prior to introducing new animals to existing herd Advise for introduction Quarantine protocols Biosecurity Screening new animals for disease Do you have the correct facility for new species?
When to call a Veterinarian? Regular visits Establish a Veterinary Client Patient Relationship (VCPR) New feed directive At least once per year Herd work Pregnancy diagnosis Vaccines, deworming, fly tags, castrations, etc. Bloodwork (ex. Coggins) Health Certificates
When to call a Veterinarian? Increased morbidity or mortality in your herd Illness Death Abortions ADR ( ain t doing right )
When to call a Veterinarian? Emergencies!!! Always better to be safe than sorry Don t be penny wise and pound foolish
What Constitutes an Emergency? It depends But not to Worry!!!
A few things that are always an EMERGENCY Dystocia/trouble giving birth (regardless of species) No progress within 30 minutes All you see is the calf s tail Feet present with no head Head and only one foot present Normal early stage parturition
A few things that are always an EMERGENCY Emergency Uterine Prolapse Go ahead and make an appointment for the Vet to come out but it s not an emergency Vaginal Prolapse
A few things that are always an EMERGENCY Blocked goats (urinary blockage) Most commonly male castrated goats Notice straining Often owners think they are constipated Very painful Bladder can rupture Feeding a high grain diet predisposes
A few things that are always an EMERGENCY Animal is acutely down or unresponsive
A few things that are always an EMERGENCY Bloat Respiratory distress Displaced abomasum (stomach)
A few things that are always an EMERGENCY Seizures or other neurologic signs Head pressing Circling Blindness Aggression Head tilt
A few things that are always an EMERGENCY Acute change in appetite Acute change in water consumption Often human induced Forgot to open the gate Salt Toxicity
A few things that are always an EMERGENCY Acute lameness
A few things that are always an EMERGENCY Colic lots of reasons Mild to really bad
A few things that are always an EMERGENCY Choke
A Stitch in Time Saves Nine
Questions???
Contacts UTCVM Field Services Department@ 865-974-5701 https://vetmed.tennessee.edu/vmc/farmanimalhospital/farmanimalfieldser vice/pages/default.aspx (Field Services website) Marc Caldwell Brian Whitlock Andi Lear Sam Collins email: scolli27@vols.utk.edu UT extension: https://extension.tennessee.edu/pages/default.aspx