Month: January 2021

 

 

In February we will once again be offering a 20% discount on equine dental floats. In-clinic appointments only. Call us today 446-2815 to reserve your spot.

EQUINE DENTAL HEALTH:

Horses with dental problems may show obvious signs, such as pain or irritation, or they may show no noticeable signs at all. This is because some horses simply adapt to their discomfort.

For this reason, periodic dental examinations performed by your equine veterinarian are essential to your horse’s health. It is important to catch dental problems early. If a horse starts behaving abnormally, dental problems should be considered as a potential cause. Waiting too long may increase the difficulty of remedying certain conditions or may even make remedy impossible.

Look for the following indicators of dental problems from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) to know when to seek veterinary attention for your horse:

 

1. Loss of feed from mouth while eating, difficulty with chewing, or excessive salivation.
2. Loss of body condition.
3. Large or undigested feed particles (long stems or whole grain) in manure.
4. Head tilting or tossing, bit chewing, tongue lolling, fighting the bit, or resisting bridling.
5. Poor performance, such as lugging on the bridle, failing to turn or stop, even bucking.
6. Foul odor from mouth or nostrils, or traces of blood from the mouth.
7. Nasal discharge or swelling of the face, jaw or mouth tissues.

 

Oral exams should be an essential part of an annual physical examination by your veterinarian. Every dental exam provides the opportunity to perform routine preventative dental maintenance. Mature horses should get a thorough dental exam at least once a year, and horses 2 –5 years old should be examined twice yearly.

Call us today! 406-446-2815

We are looking forward to this new year, and hope to get back to our regular operations as soon as possible while maintaining the safety of our clients and staff. 

All of us at Red Lodge Veterinary Clinic are so thankful for our clients’ trust and flexibility. 

Our doors are still open to give our clients the option of accompanying their pet/horse inside the clinic/equine exam room for their exam and treatments. We will continue to require masks or face coverings for anyone entering out facility over the age of 5. We are following the rules set out by our Governor – Montana Mask Mandate 2021 

We are still reducing the amount of traffic into the building to one client / patient at a time. Please see our new protocol below:

WHAT TO EXPECT – Large and Small Animal appointments:

Small animal clients, please park beside the clinic closest to the front of the building.

Equine and large animal clients, please drive around the cul-de-sac at the end of the road and park your trailer in the gravel parking lot.

When you arrive, please call the clinic 446-2815 to let us know you are here.

We will ask if you would like to come in for your appointment, wait in the vehicle, or drop off your pet and come back at a later time.

As before, if you would prefer to wait outside or drop off, Dr. Gruber will discuss exam findings either in person (outside) or by phone. We will then proceed with treatments as decided by you and Dr. Gruber. 

If you accompany your pet into the exam room, we will have our technicians and Dr. Gruber handle your pet, to reduce close contact with multiple clients. We will maintain a 6ft distance from you as best as we can. We will continue cleaning high traffic areas, door handles, counter tops, merchant machines etc. between each client to help reduce transmission. 

MEDICATION / FOOD PICK-UPS:

When you arrive, please call the clinic 446-2815 to let us know you are here. We will let you know if you can come in and get them (if the reception area is clear of other clients / patients). If not, we will bring them to your vehicle as before. 

We can take payment over the phone and are still accepting credit cards, cash or checks.

We appreciate your cooperation as we all do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses. Please call the clinic if you have any questions or concerns 406-446-2815. We look forward to getting back to ‘normal’ and  “Together We Can Do This!”