OCTOBER 2020

COVID-19 UPDATE

Many thanks to all for dealing with all the changes in policies that we have had to implement recently to deal with COVID 19. The number of cases is the county has doubled since last month to 1852 with 4 more deaths bringing the death total to 23. All our policies are designed to continue to protect staff and clients from infection. All of LVC staff has remained healthy and test negative. We have had to deal with some quarantine situations.

Here is a summary of the things we are doing at Lancaster Veterinary Clinic to continue to serve you and your animals safely:

• We provide curbside service for clients to stay in their cars. Please call and let us know when you arrive.
• We are providing doggie daycare and boarding with drop-off at the outdoor dog run gate. We want to help provide daycare for dogs for everyone who is getting back to work or school.
• The drop off and pick up for grooming is at the back door to the garage. Phone information is on the door.
• Staff will be wearing masks when working with clients outside.
• Call for whatever large animal supplies you need. We can drop ship them or take them out to your vehicle or leave them in our back pick up box for you to pick up later.

All the vets are happy to take your questions and help your animals with information over the phone. Sending pictures of your animal’s problem(s) is helpful.
 

To protect yourself and your family and reduce viral spread, follow these tips:

• Wash hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water
• Avoid touching your face
• Stay at home
• Practice social distancing and use a mask when you do go out.
• Cover your cough or sneeze

New cases in Wisconsin are now at 4660, the highest number since the infection began back in March. The infection continues to spread. We have improved treatment so that deaths in Wisconsin are only at 1814 out of 209,000 cases. One percent death loss is still a lot of people. Please continue social distancing and mask wearing when out in public. That is the best defense we have against becoming infected or spreading the virus.
 

2020 CAT CASTRATION CLINIC

We had a great day on October 10 with our Cat Castration Clinic. Everything went very smoothly. We ended up castrating just over 200 cats. Many thanks to all who participated. We are looking forward to next year’s clinic. Hopefully, Covid will not be as big a factor, but we will use continue some of the changes we implemented this year.
 

JOHNE’S PROBLEM IN BULLS

Sally has been working with 4 separate farms that have had problems with bulls losing weight and testing positive for Johne’s. One was a home raised bull and three were purchased. All of the sellers have been working with the buyers to rectify the situation. These situations are a reminder that Johne’s infects both bulls and cows and that all animals should be tested.

The biggest challenge with Johne’s is that animals are infected as calves and don’t show signs until they are older”usually over 2 years old. The testing of an individual that is showing signs of weight loss, weakness or scours is best done with a fecal PCR test. This test looks for the Johne’s mycobacterium in the manure so that you know if the animal is shedding. This test is very specific”if positive, the animal has the disease for sure.

Herd screening for Johne’s can be done with blood tests to see if the disease is present in the herd and if individuals are infected. That test may show false positives which can be rechecked with a fecal test.

Animals that are shedding mycobacterium are potentially infecting others. But once cattle reach 6 months old, they are resistant to becoming infected. Most cattle are infected when they are first born and get manure from an infected adult animal in their mouth. If infected bulls are in the pasture with cows calving, the calves can be exposed to their manure and become infected.

Please call and talk to Sally if you have questions about Johne’s disease or want to do some testing in your herd. Johne’s can also infect goats and sheep.
 

VFD’S NEED TO BE DONE AHEAD OF TIME

Please remember to get your VFD (Veterinary Feed Directive) before you go to the feed store. They legally cannot sell you any antibiotic in the feed type products unless they have a VFD already at the store. Sally does the VFD’s on line so that they are emailed immediately to the feed store. She can do one for you quickly if she has been to your place and is familiar with your operation and the animals involved. If not, she will have to come out and look at the animals before doing the VFD.

Please call if you have any questions about when and how to get a VFD.
 

PLAN NOW FOR BULL TESTING

Sally is ready to do your bull breeding soundness exams with a brand new electro ejaculator that she bought at the recent AABP meeting. This new equipment is the latest portable design and made to easily test even the toughest bulls.

A breeding soundness exam or BSE involves examination of the bull for any physical problems such as bad feet or other injury, palpation of the internal and external genital organs, measurement of scrotal circumference, collection of semen (usually by electro ejaculation). All these procedures can be accomplished on the farm with a chute to restrain the bull and power for the equipment.

Concentration and motility of the sperm is checked under the microscope at the farm. A semen sample is also taken back to the clinic and examined for morphology under the dual head microscope. Just because we can see “swimmers” at the farm does not mean that enough of the sperm are normal for the bull to be fertile.

Depending on the number of bulls done at one visit, the cost of a BSE ranges from $30 to $45 per bull. The results of the BSE are recorded after the test. We have forms for individual bulls or groups depending on whether you are selling animals or keeping them for your own use.

Bulls are classified as a potential breeder or needing a retest or as a non-breeder. Sometimes bulls can recover from an injury and test OK on a retest. Yearling bulls may not test OK the first time, but be OK later. The BSE is designed to find the non-breeders before you turn a bull out and find all the cows open this fall. Rarely, a bull will test OK and not be a breeder. A BSE does not test libido or mating ability. We have been finding about 20% of the bulls tested to be non-breeders or needing a retest.

Please call if you have questions or want to schedule a time to check your bulls.
 

TIS THE SEASON FOR TOXICITY

Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are all times for dogs to get into things that are toxic to them. Chocolate, grapes and raisins, xylitol (artificial sweetener), onions, garlic, alcohol and macadamia nuts are all toxic (poisonous) to dogs. We have already had a few calls for dogs getting into Halloween candy. Please keep these items and any medications out of the reach of your dogs. It is helpful to have 3% hydrogen peroxide on hand to induce vomiting to empty their stomach, but please call first.
 

THANKS TO CAT

We have enjoyed having Cat Seymour here as a vet student extern during October. She will be with us for another couple weeks. Thank you for letting us help her learn.