Check those vaccination records so your dog has a happy and healthy National Dog Day

Yesterday was National Dog Day so I thought it was appropriate to discuss one of the best ways to protect our furry little friends.  Vaccines!

Proper vaccination is a great way to protect your dog from serious illness. Here are some common questions regarding immunizations of your dog.

What are vaccines and why are they important?

            Vaccines are products designed to help build your pet’s immune system to help them fight off future infections. Often, vaccines help reduce the severity of disease that can be life threatening.  

            Many of the diseases that we vaccinate against can also cause illness in people. For example leptospirosis, which can cause significant illness in your pet can also make humans very sick and rabies is 100% fatal in both dogs and humans.

             

What vaccines should your dog receive?

            There are a few vaccines that are considered necessary for the general well being of your pet. These are commonly referred to as Core Vaccines.  

Core vaccinations for dogs are rabies, canine distemper, canine parvovirus and canine hepatitis.

Other vaccinations that are recommended based on disease prevalence and geographic location are non-core vaccines. In this area based on your dog’s lifestyle non-core vaccinations that can be recommended are leptospirosis, kennel cough, and rattlesnake.

What is a typical vaccination plan look like?

            It is typical to start vaccinating puppies at 6-8 weeks of age and then booster them in three to four week intervals until they are 16 weeks of age. After this he or she will be placed on an adult schedule for revaccination.

What are the risks associated with vaccination?

            As with any medical procedure there are some risks involved with vaccinations. Vaccines are designed to stimulate the immune system so some pets will get sleepy, sore, or might develop a small fever.  Some pets, a very small percentage, can develop allergic reactions. However it is important to remember that the benefits of vaccines far outweigh the risks.

I hope everyone spoiled those sidekicks a little more yesterday. If you have any questions regarding vaccines please feel free to give us a call.

What is Vesicular Stomatitis and Why You Should Care?

Maybe you have heard some of the news this week about the Vesicular Stomatitis (VS) cases that have popped up in Colorado since last Thursday, July 17th.  As of today, July 19th, there are a total of 5 horses in Colorado with laboratory confirmed VS infections.  These horses live on two premises in Weld County and one premises in Boulder County.

So how did they get infected?  

The interested fact is that none of these currently known infected horses have any history of travel.  VS can infect horses, mules, cattle, bison, sheep, goats, pigs, camelids and, in rare cases, humans.  The transmission of VS is not completely understood but we think that it is spread by insects, direct contact, and livestock movement from area to area.  It is very likely that there are infected animals or insects that have been transported through these affected areas and left these 5 horses the gift of a VS infection.  This is concerning since we are in the middle of rodeo, fair and livestock show season.

 

What symptoms did the horses have & how did they know to test for VS? 

I can't say for sure what these horses' exact symptoms were, but commonly the clinical signs of the disease include vesicles, erosions and sloughing of the skin on the muzzle, tongue, teats and above the hooves of susceptible livestock. Vesicles are usually only seen early in the course of the disease.  There have been several cases of VS in Texas this summer and the veterinarians that initially visited these Colorado horses must have been paying attention and took appropriate action.

“Vesicular stomatitis can be painful for animals and costly to their owners,” said State Veterinarian, Dr. Keith Roehr. “The virus typically causes oral blisters and sores that can be painful causing difficulty in eating and drinking.”   

 

What should you do to protect your animals? 

Obviously, the best way to protect against VS would be to totally isolate all of your animals and vehicles from all other animals and insects until we get a killing frost this Fall.  Since this is not reality, the Colorado State Veterinarians Office has provided the following tips to help you out.

Tips for Livestock Owners:

• Strict fly control is an important factor to inhibit the transmission of the disease.
• Avoid transferring feeding equipment, cleaning tools or health care equipment from other herds.
• Colorado veterinarians and livestock owners should contact the state of destination when moving livestock interstate to ensure that all import requirements are met. A list of contact information for all state veterinarians’ offices is available at www.colorado.gov/ag/animals and click on "Import Requirements."
• Colorado fairs, livestock exhibitions, and rodeos may institute new entry requirements based on the extent and severity of the current VS outbreak. Certificates of Veterinary Inspection issued within 2-5 days prior to an event can beneficial to reduce risks. Be sure to stay informed of any new livestock event requirements.
• During an event, important VS disease prevention procedures include minimizing the sharing of water and feed/equipment, applying insect repellent daily (especially to the animals ears), and closely observing animals for signs of VS.
• If moving livestock internationally please contact the USDA APHIS VS Colorado office at 303-231-5385 to determine if there are any movement restrictions or testing requirements for VSV.

  How can you stay updated or get more info on the VS situation?

• Colorado Department of Ag - Vesicular Stomatitis webpage
• USDA APHIS Vesicular Stomatitis disease information webpage
• Cattleman's Resource, Inc. website
• Facebook - Colorado Department of Ag
• Facebook - Cattleman's Resource, Inc.

 

Calling all 4-H kiddos, and FFA students,
 Cattleman's Resource, Inc. has all your livestock show supply needs. Including show feeds, grooming supplies and much more. We would like to let everyone know that we have a drawing going on for concert tickets, for those kids that purchase show supplies and show feeds from us. We really hope that we can help you in your show endeavors and having a successful year with you projects. If you have any questions don't be afraid to contact us at Cattleman's Resource, Inc. Our number is (970) 842-0274, also you can email Leeann, at Leeann@yourlivestock.com. We are looking forward to helping you!

CRI welcomes Leeann Seewald to the team as your show supply & feed consultant

We are excited to introduce you to Leeann Seewald, the latest addition to the CRI team. Leeann will be a great asset to you and your family in showing livestock for  4-H and FFA.

Leeann was born and raised on a family farm & cattle operation in Eaton, Colorado and later in Hillrose. She was actively involved in school and extracurricular activities including FFA, 4-H, Student Council, Volleyball, and National Honor Society. After high school she attended dental assisting school in Fort Collins, then took a job as an orthodontist assistant in Greeley. Leeann's lifelong passion for agriculture drew her back to her roots and in March 2014 she joined the CRI team. Leeann has a keen interest and is very knowledgeable in showing livestock.  Leeann is excited for the opportunity to help you and your children learn how to properly care for your show animals and win. 

Stop by CRI to meet Leeann and see how she can help you.

BQA & Beef Cattle Care training FREE for a limited time

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc (BIVI) is a proud partner of the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program and their efforts within the cattle industry. They are providing access to the BQA Certification, which is a $25 to $50 value per person. Customers and friends can utilize the program and gain certification at no charge from February 3-April 15, 2014

You can access any of the modules that interest you. The "Comprehensive Beef Quality Assurance" module is the most general and complete package, but you can choose to utilize any of the more focused packages as well.

Go to the BIVI training programs website for information on how to get started. Feel free to contact us at CRI you are having any trouble accessing the training. (970)842-0274
Offer ends April 15th, 2014.