The Goderich Signal-Star, 1980-04-02, Page 366 The Faro Edhioar Wast ei Art 2, 1980
The Ripley Veterinary
Clinic which opened in Sept-
ember has increased the ef-
ficiency of the veterinary
practice operating out of
Ripley and provides modern
medical procedures and ser-
vices' to the farmers of the
area.
The new clinic will allow
the veterinarians to control
the cleanliness of surgical
`procedures, will permit isola-
tion of animals by bringing
them to the clinic for treat-
ment and will reduce the
transportation _costs for ..-the...--
practice. It will also allow the
initiation of herd health pro-
grams. The clinic is equipped
to treat small and large
animals.
According to Dr. Don
Hodgins who built the clinic,
prevention of diseases as
well as treatment is a prim-
ary purpose of the veterinar-
ian practice in the Ripley
area.
Doctor Hodgins practises
with two other veterinarians,
Dr. Gordon Doonan and Dr.
Russell Moncrief.
The clinic has a large
animal drug dispensary, a
small animal dispensary and
treatment room, a small
animal prep room and x-ray
and laboratory, a small anim-
al surgery, a small animal
holding area, a post-mortem
room, a calf room, mainly for
the treatment of calf . diar-
rhea, and a large animal area
where surgery is performed.
Hodgins says there are
diseases which are common
io the livestock in the area
And prevention and treat-
ment of them is a major part
of the Ripley practice.
Respiratory disease is pre-
valent to cattle in the spring
and fall. Farmers are trans-
porting cattle from the west
and eastern provinces in the
fall which is stressing to the
animal. The cattle are recent-
ly weaned. They have been
transferred from an area of
high humidity, and upon
arrival they undergo vaccina-
tions, dehorning, castrating.
Added to the travel. this is a
stressful period for the anim-
als.
Stress makes them more
susceptible todisease and
travelling promotes parasites
such as lice and worms.
Common diseases include
shipping fever (bacterial pas-
turealosis), IBR (infectious
viral bovine rhinotaechitis
and ITEME, . (infectious
thromboembolic meningoen-
cephalitis).
Shipping fever and ITEME
are incidious says Hodgins.
The onset is rapid and the
disease is hard to recognize.
It can be treated in the
animals feed. ITEME was
more prevalent this year than
usual according to Hodgins.
Shipping fever affects the
lungs and vaccination of
dairy cattle is recommended.
IBR does cross over from
beef to dairy cattle. The virus
affects the upper respiratory•
system, the nose and throat,
destroying defense mechan-
isms. Cattle should be vacc-
inated. It is a bacterial
disease affecting the brain.
IBR will cause abortions and
milk production will drop
below half for three weeks to
a month.
Water, belly is common
among steers says Dr. Hod-
gins and reproductive mastit-
is- is -a --problem in cavies.. ..
Hodgins says virtually all
cattle transported, into Ont-
ario have parasites. Blue
sucking lice is very common
and there are excellent drugs
to treat it. There is . a new
drug available which will be
a real adjunct in treating
parasites but it does not treat
warbles.
Hodgins has noticed ,an
increase in sheep and goats
Small animal surgery
over the past several years.
A farmer can raise more
sheep on a smaller acreage
and as much can be made on
sheep anil goats as cattle.
They take less feed and less
space but they require inten-
sive care.
"You can't have a bunch
of woollys running around on.
the back pasture."
It is harder to detect
disease in sheep because a
farmer cannot see them get-
ting thinner for their wool.
For a farmer accustomed to
eatt-le ott pig%, he will not be
familiar with the specific
diseases of sheep and goats.
Hodgins suggests a prevent-
ative disease program be-
cause they respond to para-
site control, vitamin treat-
ments and bacterial disease
vaccines.
Much of the labour involv-
ed concerns reproductive
problems and constant sup-
ervision during lambing and
kidding is necessary.
Disease in hogs and swine
is not subject to the seasonal
variation' of beef and dairy
diseases. The reason is that
they are raised indoors under
intense situations where the
environment is controlled by
the farmer.
There is some respiratory
disease and forms of intro-
ductory diarrhea in pigs but
generally they become accus-
tomed to new bacteria. Him-
ophilus pleuropneumonia, a
severe form of bacterial
pneumonia has been a prob-
lem, recently. A totally new
bacteria, it did not appear
until several years ago.
There is a very short sick
stage involved, and up to 40
per cent losses overnight can
IFti
be experienced.
-Once- it --spreads through—
the pig population, it will be'
like viral pneumonia, a re-
sistance will build up and
only a few will continue to
pick it up. Treatment in-
cludes a broad spectrum of
antibiotics in the feed and
water system. Vaccines
which have been developed
are not totally effective.
Hodgins finds a mixed
animal practice, both small
and large, more enjoyable
than specializing.
"It keeps the mind act-
ive," says Hodgins and he
finds it more interesting.
A veterinarian who is not
specializing must realize the
limits this places on his
Preventive prograi
A farmer just cann(
half a herd ti
the animals could ha
Large animal surgery