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About |
Large Animal Services |
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Advanced medical and nutritional services for your livestock
can be the difference between productive and profitable
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About
| Companion
Services |
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Care for your best friend is easily acheived through preventative
maintenance, vaccinations, a healthy diet and routine
visits to Grassland Vet Service read
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We at Grassland Veterinary
Service believe that knowledge on the behalf of our
customers is the most powerful preventive measure. To
better answer the commonly asked questions we receive
at Grassland Veterinary Service, we have compiled a
listing of Frequently Asked Questions that our customers
ask in regards to our Companion Animals, Production
Animals, and Office Information.
· Companion
Animal FAQ's
· Production
Animal FAQ's
· Office
& Company FAQ's
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Companion Animal
FAQ's
1. How old does my puppy or kitten need to be before we can spay or neuter?
2. Will my pet gain weight after I spay or neuter it?
3. At what age do you recommend first vaccines for my puppy or kitten?
4. Should I declaw my cat?
5. What is the normal temperature for my pet?
6. How long is the normal gestation period for a dog or cat?
7. Can I give my pet aspirin or Tylenol?
8. How long should I feed puppy or kitten food?
9. How do I prevent fleas and ticks?
10. What brand of food do you recommend for my pet?
11. How important is a dental exam on my pet?
12. What are some fun things for my cat to do?
13. How should I care for my pet during the summer months?
14. How should I care for my pet during the winter months?
15. When is it time to put my animal to sleep
16. When is it time for my animal’s first visit to the vet?
17. How do I get rid of skunk odor on my dog?
18. What should I do if I think my pet has ingested a poison?
• How old does my puppy or kitten need to be before we can spay or neuter?
We recommend spay or neuter between 4 and 6 months of age or any time after that. It is best to spay females before their first heat cycle because it decreases their chances of mammary cancer by 90%. Neutering males this young will help eliminate any marking behaviors that can occur as they mature.
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• Will my pet gain weight after I spay or neuter it?
Spaying or neutering you pet will decrease it’s metabolism. Therefore, there can be a tendency to gain weight, but not if you limit the amount of food they get. It’s all up to you.
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• At what age do you recommend first vaccines for my puppy or kitten?
We recommend first vaccines around 8 weeks. Then repeated at 12 weeks, and 16 weeks. We also give Rabies vaccine at the 16 week visit. Boosters are then given at 1 year, and then every 3 years after that, depending on the lifestyle of the pet. We also recommend giving a dewormer at all puppy and kitten exams. Deworming is a very important part of keeping your young pets healthy.
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• Should I declaw my cat?
We do not recommend declaws, but will perform them for clients that request it. We do offer an alternative to declawing, called a tendonectomy. This surgery is much less painful because it only cuts the tendon that extends the claw. The claws DO still need to be trimmed on a regular basis. Of course the best option for the cat is to leave the claws in, trim them regularly, and train them to use a scratching post when young.
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• What is the normal temperature for my pet?
The normal temperature (rectal) for a cat or dog is around 101.0-102.0 ºF.
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• How long is the normal gestation period for a dog or cat?
The normal length of time it takes for a pregnancy is 59-65 days, with 63 days being the average. Dogs have an interesting way for predicting when they will deliver that no other species has. We suggest checking rectal temperatures on a pregnant dog 1 week before she is due to deliver. When the temperature drops to 99.0 or below, she should deliver within 12-24 hours. If she doesn’t, then she should be examined by a veterinarian. Cats do not have this predictability. But they are famous for having a few kittens one day, and waiting a day or two to have the rest!
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• Can I give my pet aspirin or Tylenol?
Do NOT give any medication to your pet without the recommendation of a veterinarian! Tylenol is lethal to cats – never use it!
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• How long should I feed puppy or kitten food?
For kittens, usually 6-8 months is long enough. For puppies, it depends on the size. A small breed puppy can be switched over to adult small breed food after 6 or 8 months. A giant breed puppy should be on puppy for at least 18 months. It will also depend on the body type of your pet. If it’s starting to look like a bit on the chubby side, you may want to take it of the growth formula a little sooner.
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• How do I prevent fleas and ticks?
This is an excellent question, because it asks about prevention rather than treatment. It is much easier to prevent than to treat, especially when talking about fleas! There are several good products out there for ticks. A topical once-a-month liquid seems to be the most effective thing for those (i.e. Advantix®, Frontline®, or Biospot®). These are also fairly effective for flea prevention. There is another product available through your veterinarian for flea prevention called Program® or Sentinel®. These are oral once-a-month tablets that will not kill adult fleas, but will sterilize them and prevent an infestation in your house. The Sentinel® is also effective as a monthly dewormer and heartworm prevention. For treating fleas, remember that you must treat the environment as well as the pet. Contact your veterinarian for suggestions. There are many over the counter products out there, but none of them come with the expertise and support that the veterinary only products do.
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• What brand of food do you recommend for my pet?
We carry the Eukanuba® brands of dog and cat food, as well as Canidae® and Felidae®, Sojourner Farms®, IVD®, and Nutro® brands of foods.
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• How important is a dental exam on my pet?
Yearly examinations including dental exams are very important for all pets. Up to 80% of all pets have some form of dental disease by the time they are 3 years old. Periodontal disease is one of the most common conditions encountered in veterinary medicine. This problem begins when plaque and tartar accumulate on your pet’s teeth. Plaque harbors bacteria, which can infect the gums and roots of teeth. This results in bad breath, tooth loss, pain, and dental disease. Recent studies have also documented that these bacteria can enter the bloodstreatm and infect major organs, including the heart valves, kidneys and liver! Therefore, regular dental checkups, and good home care are essential to your pet’s well being.
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• What are some fun things for my cat to do?
Cats are very visual animals so any toy or object that moves a lot is great for your cat. Things such as balls, laser pointers, and toys on strings are great for cats. Since cats aren’t always the easiest to exercise, these types of toys provide much needed exercise for your cat. However, you should not let your cat play with just string toys. These can cause an obstruction if swallowed and most cats need emergency surgery to remove them.
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• How should I care for my pet during the summer months?
Animals in the summer are very susceptible to heat stroke, dehydration, and maggot infestations. If your dog or cat is outdoors most of the time, it is essential to have a nice shaded area to lie in and plenty of water to drink. Some people ask about shaving their animals; if they have access to a pond or pool, or just watering your animal with a hose will help with cooling. Remember, dogs and cats can’t sweat, they pant to keep cool. Making sure your animal is groomed and kept dry during storms will help keep maggots away. Maggots are fly larvae that are laid on your pet when there is moist tissue. Many times they will be under mats on your pet and not visible until you look under the mats.
Make sure you do not leave your animal in a car for any length of time without the air conditioning on if it’s above 80 degrees.
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• How should I care for my pet during the winter months?
If your pet is indoors, making sure they get enough exercise is very important. Most pets gain some weight in the winter because they are less active. Making sure your animal still gets it’s exercise is essential in keeping their weight down. Plus, playing in the snow with your dog can be fun for you too! If your pet is outdoors, keeping them warm, dry, well fed, and have water available are very important. Dogs do very well outdoors if housed in the right conditions. Making sure there is a place for them to get out of the wind and cold is very important. Also having unfrozen water is very important. Make sure you give them fresh water everyday or have a heated water dish.
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• When is it time to put my animal to sleep
Euthanizing your animal is an individual decision that many of us will have to make someday. Euthanasia is a great gift that we have to give our pets that have pain and are suffering. We are all concerned about the quality of life for our pets. If your geriatric pet is in pain, losing bowel function, seems to be giving up on life, isn’t eating, or isn’t greeting you like they were in the past, these may be signs that it’s time to say good-bye.
Please consult with your veterinarian. There may be something more that can be done to keep your pet comfortable for a while longer. If there isn’t, this may be the most loving and humane choice for your beloved pet.
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• When is it time for my animal’s first visit to the vet?
If you are a breeder and have a litter of puppies or kittens, then bringing them to the vet the first few weeks of life is best. If there are dewclaws or tails that need to be removed, that should be done between days 3-5 from birth. At that time, we can assess if they have any birth defects. If you are just getting your pet, you should bring them in to have us examine them as soon as possible to start their vaccinations and make sure they are healthy. At your first vet visit with a puppy or kitten, we will examine them for any heart murmurs, hernias, and over all health assessment. If your animal is old enough (6-8 weeks or so) we will also give the first puppy/kitten shot. Deworming is also a very important part of the first visit to the vet. Most puppies and kittens are born with worms that they get from their mothers. We advise deworming as soon as possible. We do 3 doses 2 weeks apart to take care of all the intestinal worms. We also like to spend time discussing potty training, obedience training, and caring for your pet.
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• How do I get rid of skunk odor on my dog?
The following is a recipe for bathing your dog to remove skunk odor. Bathe the animal in 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup of baking soda, and 1 tsp of liquid detergent. Leave this mixture on your pet for 5 minutes. Rinse with water. Repeat as necessary. This mixture must be used immediately after it is mixed, it does not keep. Occasionally it may bleach the pet’s hair, but most pets don’t seem to mind!
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• What should I do if I think my pet has ingested a poison?
There are two answers to this question. The first is to call the Animal Poison Control Center of the ASPCA. They have specially trained veterinarians on staff to assist both the client and the client’s veterinarian with emergencies such as this. The phone number for the APCC is 888-426-4435. They are available 24/7. You can also access their website at www.apcc.aspca.org. We recommend checking out the “make your pet’s home poison safe” exercise on the website. Find out how to dog and cat proof your house!
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Production Animal FAQ's
1. Do you offer herd health services?
2. What should I use for vaccinating my dairy herd?
3. What is Johne’s disease?
4. I have a mastitis problem in my herd. How can I correct that?
5. What type of visits does your practice provide?
• Do you offer herd health services?
Yes, a large percentage of our practice is herd consultation. We write custom vaccination protocols for all our herd health clients, as well as consult on nutrition, milking systems, treatment protocols, ventilation, and any other aspect necessary for keeping our producers profitable.
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• What should I use for vaccinating my dairy herd?
There is no single recommendation for all herds. Vaccination programs must be designed specifically for individual herd disease concerns and management flexibility. Once we are familiar with your herd, programs are written first to be effective for your operation, and secondly to be feasible to implement.
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• What is Johne’s disease?
Johne’s disease is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium paratuberculosis. It is an infectious disease of cattle and other ruminants. Johne’s is a chronic disease taking years to develop, characterized by a failure to thrive, reduced productivity, weight loss, diarrhea, and death. Johne’s costs the cattle industry millions of dollars annually in lost animals and production. It is recommended that herds undergo Johne’s disease risk assessment and education to control the introduction or spread of this disease. There currently are funds available from the USDA for risk assessment programs to be completed for you by our practice, at no cost to producers.
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• I have a mastitis problem in my herd. How can I correct that?
The first step is to determine the predominant bacteria causing your mastitis problem. Once that is determined, we have a direction to go in looking for correction. For example, some bacterial problems are considered contagious. Among those there are even bacterial infections with no cure. These are important to identify. Other bacterial problems are considered environmental in origin. Therefore controlling the different bacterial causes can vary significantly.
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• What type of visits does your practice provide?
The majority of large animal visits are for dairies. The bulk of our work involves scheduled stops at regular intervals for individual herd maintenance programs. Other services we provide include stops for emergencies (delivering calves or other acute life threatening situations) or visits for animals just not doing well, commonly called ‘off feed animals’. Our goal is to provide quality service in a timely fashion. We do our best to be ‘on time’ for scheduled visits while attending to urgent situations as they arise.
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Office & Company FAQ's
1. What are your office hours?
2. Where do I call if I have an emergency after hours?
3. Do I need an appointment to have my pet seen?
4. What time can I drop off my pet for surgery in the morning?
• What are your office hours?
Please reference our About Us page for more information regarding hospital hours
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• Where do I call if I have an emergency after hours?
You may call our regular phone number at 715-238-7686. You will be directed to another number if necessary at that time.
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• Do I need an appointment to have my pet seen?
Yes, we do recommend that you call us for an appointment to make sure a doctor is available. Our office number is 715-238-7686.
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• What time can I drop off my pet for surgery in the morning?
You may drop off your pet between 8:00a.m. and 9:30a.m. if you have an appointment.
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