Your Veterinarian Knows
By: Dr. Tony Moravec DTV Services, LLC Are you treating your veterinarian like a fireman? There is certainly nothing wrong with firemen. Some of my friends are professional firemen. They have a significant role in society. Put out fires and save lives. Firemen are definitely needed. In many respects, your veterinarian knows how to do the same with animals. Treat the sick and put out the flames of disease. Save lives. Veterinarians are definitely needed, but they can do so much more for your operation. If you only work with your vet to put out fires, you are missing out on the real value of your vet. Veterinarians are professionally trained in many areas of animal health: anatomy, physiology, animal behavior and husbandry, nutrition, toxicology, microbiology, immunology, pathology, pharmacology, and parasitology. Speaking of parasitology, when is the last time you consulted with your veterinarian about the parasite control program in your cattle herd? Literally hundreds of parasites impact the health and nutrition of our cattle. They impact the immune system and how our cattle perform. Thankfully, you don’t need to know all about them; your veterinarian knows what parasite pressure is unique to your area of the country – what kinds of parasites there are to consider and what time of the year they become a problem. The life cycle of each of these dozens of parasites that affect cattle is unique. Once again, you do not need to know every life cycle to craft a successful parasite control program – but your veterinarian knows these life cycles. They can help
you create a parasite control program that fits the parasites found in your area. Parasite control programs have evolved a lot in recent years. New products, some requiring a veterinary prescription, have found a prominent place in parasite control programs all over the country. Studying how these products work, their withdrawal times and restrictions is important – and your veterinarian knows it is their duty to research this information for you. These new advances in technology mean that more tools are available to keep your cattle healthier and more productive. It can be tough to stay informed – even as a veterinarian – but this should not stop you from asking them for more information. Many times, your veterinarian knows who to ask to find the answers you are looking for. Once you gather the facts pertaining to your animals, parasites, ecology, products, proper application, and expected return on investment, the information can be overwhelming. Lean on your veterinarian to help you make factbased decisions that rely on good scientific data, along with short-term and long-term outcomes – your veterinarian knows what has worked in some situations and what has not. Doing something “because that’s how we have always done it” may eventually lead to a problem because parasites and products to address them evolve. And these problems can show up as… fires. Get ahead of the fire. While some fires just happen and are a part of life, many can be avoided. Remember the 7Ps: Prior proper planning prevents pitifully poor performance! Waiting to call your vet until your have a parasite problem means that you are not receiving the full benefit of their education. Your vet is simply not being utilized effectively and efficiently – and you are losing production dollars in the process. Don’t wait! Call your veterinarian today to avoid problems and to ramp up health and production. Your veterinarian knows a LOT – get to know your veterinarian!
