File photo of a calf displaying symptoms of coccidiosis.

Coccidiosis in beef calves

Veterinary Case Study: Treatment protocols to help manage this common, yet troubling, disease

Nate walked through a pen of calves he had just weaned from his first-calf heifers. The day before, he’d noticed flecks of blood in some of the stools, but overall, the calves seemed bright and were eating the hay and chopped oats he offered in bunks. Today, however, he saw blood clots in stools and […] Read more

a herd of commercial Hereford-Simmental cattle on crop stubble with snow

IBR is a serious cause of abortion in beef cattle

Veterinary Case Study: After buying new stock, a rancher’s cow herd starts aborting third-trimester calves

Early one morning in January, Alf called upset over what he found when checking his herd of purebred Herefords. Lying in the straw were three aborted fetuses and two other cows appeared to be in the process of aborting third-trimester fetuses. Alf, an excellent stockman but very worried, asked the hard question of what might […] Read more


A newborn cow stands in straw

Preparing for calving season

Veterinary Case Study: Dr. Clarke coaches a beef producer who has purchased 50 first-calf heifers right before calving season

Jim came into the clinic one day. He’d even called ahead to say he needed a few minutes of my time to talk about the 50 new heifers he bought and what they might need to help them through calving season without problems. Jim had become an astute cattleman through the years, always trying to […] Read more

A Welsh pony trotting in a field. For some reason, more ponies were infected with Western equine encephalitis in Dr. Clarke’s experience, but all horses, and humans, are susceptible.

Sleeping sickness in horses

Veterinary Case Study: Symptoms of Western equine encephalitis and tips for preventing the disease

Jane’s desperate phone call came after school Monday afternoon. She had noticed something different with Sisco last night when she groomed him. Sisco, a Welsh-cross, failed to eat his oats, seemed restless and wanted to lay down. Getting up when urged became difficult. Her hunch something might be seriously wrong with her new pony turned […] Read more


Lead paint removal underway at an old church. Food animals that have ingested lead represent a food safety risk for people and so should be euthanized.

Lead poisoning in calves

Veterinary Case Study: Oddly, young animals readily consume these materials when they encounter them

Jim called one morning upset about two three-month-old Holstein steers he had bought at the local auction market two weeks earlier. “I’m really sorry about calling. I know you have warned me about doing this, but calving season is over for me and everything went to pasture. They are really sick. Can you come out […] Read more

Tough decisions ensue when rabies infects dairy cow

Veterinary Case Study: A farmer with a rabid cow wonders whether he and his family could be at risk

Jim stopped by the clinic to pick up vaccine, dewormer and meloxicam for processing calves on the weekend. He asked if we could talk privately. We went to my office and closed the door.  “I think I have a problem and need your advice,” Jim said.  “Just before coming to town, my 15-year-old son came […] Read more


It’s important to keep vaccines at the right temperatures.

Quick tips when using livestock vaccines

Veterinary Case Study: From using the right needle size to cleaning syringes, here’s how to do vaccination right

Roper Roy arrived in our practice area last spring. He followed a young lady home from a horse training school in west Texas. Now married, it looked like Roper fell into a sizeable chunk of a prosperous ranching and farming operation. He came to town for supplies for their branding next weekend. While he waited, […] Read more

Young Wyatt studies his handiwork tethering Sam.

Sam

Veterinary Case Study: A favourite mule at an Alberta grazing association exemplifies hybrid vigour

Sam is an oddity and a legend at Willow Creek cow camp, Willow Creek Grazing Association, west of Nanton, Alta. He is an Appaloosa mule with a heart of gold. Anyone can ride him under saddle, from seasoned cowboys to kids learning the basics. You can rope off him and he will carry 200 pounds […] Read more