When you bring your farm animals in for routine exams, your vet will check for early symptoms of illness, internal damage and other serious conditions that should be addressed. Our vets in Columbia explain why regular veterinary checkups are essential for your farm animals and what to expect during these exams.
The Importance of Routine Checkups For Your Farm Animals
Just as with all animals, you should book your farm animals in for a routine physical exam with your veterinarian once or twice a year, even when your farm animals appear to be perfectly healthy.
By taking your healthy animal to visit the vet regularly, you allow your veterinarian the opportunity to assess their general health, and test for diseases, illnesses and conditions that can be difficult to identify in their early stages (including cancers and parasites).
During the checkup, your vet has two goals: to prevent health conditions from developing where possible and to spot early symptoms of disease so they can be treated before they develop into more serious problems.
Maury County Veterinary Hospital offers a wide variety of large animal services and mobile emergency services for farm animals. We have a large haul-in animal facility that is equipped with equine stocks, a cattle chute and cattle working pens.
What To Expect With Routine Farm Animal Wellness Exams
When you take your farm animals to the veterinarian, your animal’s medical history will be reviewed and your vet will ask if you have any concerns. They will also ask about your animal’s diet, thirst level, bowel movements, urination and other aspects of their lifestyle and general behavior.
When we examine your large animal during a routine exam at our veterinary hospital, we will check in on your animal's overall health and well-being. In addition to the physical exam, we will also recommend any appropriate preventive care. We will take time to answer questions you may have about your animals to help ensure their health and longevity.
Our services for large animals include:
- Routine exams
- Routine vaccines to vaccinate herds against disease (W Nile EWT + Flu/Rhino, Strangles, & Rabies)
- Surgeries
- Pregnancy checks
- Health certificates
- Bovine semen evaluation
Whether you are able to bring your animal to our facility or require ambulatory veterinary services, our vets at Maury County Veterinary Hospital are here to provide guidance, advice and effective diagnostics and treatment.
If no issues are detected along the way, your vet can likely run through this list quickly and seamlessly — they may even chat with you as they do so. If an issue is identified, your vet will explain what they have noticed and recommend the next steps or potential treatments.
Once Your Animal Has Been Examined
Once your animal has been examined, tested and given their annual vaccines, your vet will dedicate time to explaining their findings to you.
If the veterinarian has found any signs of injury or illness, they will recommend more detailed diagnostics or potential treatment options to help.
If your farm animals are healthy overall, this discussion may focus on improving and maintaining their health and checking that essentials such as appropriate parasite prevention are monitored.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding people or pets. Always follow your doctor's advice regarding asthma or other allergy symptoms.