Farm & Ranch

The Dr. McDonald Column – Ol’ Fido

Published

7 years ago

June 3, 2017

NTFR

By Steve McDonald, DVM

Since we, as veterinarians, listen to infinite dog stories every day, it is only fair that we pester people with our own dog stories.
Fido came in the first time, at least 10 years ago, with the end of his mandible shot away in a scrape with an irate landowner. There wasn’t much left, so we trimmed up the mess and he now has a pronounced overbite.

He drools a lot, which, believe it or not some people find unappealing. A few months later he came in after a tangle with a rattlesnake. The snake won, and Fido, who was proving he was hard to kill by now, survived. Still later, he learned the hard way about chasing trucks, and my wife repaired his ruptured bladder.

Then, out of the blue, his owner came in and announced that he had lost his job and would have to move. Could we find a home for Fido? We said, “Sure,” figuring to reap years of income from patching up this disaster-prone dog.

Well, how were we to know that people don’t appreciate a drooling dog? I would point out that his wound was at his front, proving him no coward, but people were unmoved. He became a clinic dog. Every clinic should have one or two. We had two at the time, and jawless Fido thought he was the toughest dog alive because he never lost a fight.

To read more pick up a copy of the June 2017 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.

Farm & Ranch

Hazards of Backyard Poultry

Published

6 days ago

April 21, 2024

NTFR

By Barry Whitworth, DVM

Having backyard poultry is a popular agriculture enterprise. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 0.8 percent of all households in the United States have chickens. People keep chickens for a variety of reasons with table eggs being one of the more common reasons.

Unfortunately, some of these poultry producers are not aware of the hazards that come with keeping poultry because many times they carry pathogens but appear healthy.
Chickens are carriers of several zoonotic diseases. These are diseases that can be passed from animals to humans. According to a recent survey in Pennsylvania, a majority of backyard poultry producers were aware of the dangers of avian influenza. However, this study also revealed that far fewer producers were aware of the risk of possible exposure to Salmonella and Campylobacter.

The lack of knowledge about the hazards of raising poultry likely contributes to the continued issues of Salmonella outbreaks associated with backyard poultry. In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,072 illnesses of Salmonella linked to backyard poultry, and 272 of those patients required hospitalization. Oklahoma reported 43 individuals with the disease.

To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.