Valley Vet Supply

Countdown to Christmas

Our Countdown to Christmas starts TOMORROW! We hope you are as excited about this as we are! The holidays are a time of giving and what better way to show appreciation to our fantastic customers than by giving away some of your favorite products! During the month of December, over $8,000 in prizes will be given away, including Cosequin, Vetericyn, Professional's Choice boots, toys, treats, de-wormers, grooming supplies and so much more! The great thing about this contest is that it is so simple. All you have to do is make sure you have liked our page and answer our daily question. Yep, that's it. The first contest question will be posted Dec. 1, and a new question will be posted each day until Christmas. It’s sure to be a lot of fun! Winners will be selected at random and announced daily, so be sure to check back. Once the winner(s) is announced, you will have 3 days to respond or another name will be drawn. USA residents only.

Win A Pair of Jeans 2012

Nothing, for a lady, is quite as satisfying as when you finally find “that pair of jeans”. You slip them on, you feel comfortable, confident, and it feels good when you see someone do a double take out of the corner of your eye!  LOL. I know I have my favorite pair that I would wear everyday if I could get my laundry done that fast.

For our next shot of “it’s better to give than to receive”, I’m going to give away two pairs of jeans. I’ll be selecting two winners to win one pair of jeans each. The winners will have their choice of any one pair of Ladies Booty Up Wrangler Jeans or Men’s 20X Competition Jeans.

What is it about a pair of jeans that gives you the look, feel and comfort you want? Do you have a favorite brand or type of jeans? Guys, I want to hear from you too!! See the official rules below.

Good Luck, Julie

JEANS GIVEAWAY!

TO ENTER:
1. Answer the question in the comments section of the Wrangler Jeans Giveaway post on our blog: What is it about a pair of jeans that gives you the look, feel and comfort you want? and 2. Tweet or Like the post.

THE RULES
One entry per person, please. (Note: if you don't see your entry right away, please don't enter a second time. It will show up shortly!)

No entries after 8:00 am Central Time Monday December 10, 2012.

Two winners will be selected at random and announced Monday. The winners will have their choice of any one pair of Ladies Booty Up Wrangler Jeans (18515) or Men’s 20X Competition Jeans (26387).

Attention: Check Out Our Countdown to Christmas!

Preventing Calf Scours

Within the first few hours of life, a calf gets up and is likely to suckle everything within reach as it searches for the udder. In the process, the calf is at risk for picking up various pathogens. As these pathogens make their way to the gut, the calf can quickly develop scours and become dehydrated.

When pregnant cows have been vaccinated against bacterial and viral pathogens like E coli, Rotavirus and Coronavirus, they pass along the protection to calves through their colostrum. It’s important that the calf received adequate colostrum in order to achieve passive transfer of immunity from disease. You may wish to feed a supplemental dose of Colostrum, especially when the weather is poor. Cold, damp, and muddy conditions can increase the pathogen load and weaken a calf’s immune system.

Scour protection Antibiodies may be administered to newborn calves within the first 6 to 12 hours of life. They provide a degree of scour protection until the calf’s immune system is functional. Certain types of scours and pneumonia are caused by bacterial infections and may improve with the use of sulfas and Antibiotics.

Cryptosporidiosis (Crypto) is another possible cause of calf scours, which is resistant to treatment. The organism invades cells in the intestines and can quickly spread through a high percentage of the calf crop. Avoid buying calves to cross-foster, as this is the usual source of the organism.

Clean, dry calving areas also help prevent infection. Keep ‘em warm and dry!

Curious Pets Love Holiday Decorations

Holidays and the traditions that surround them make this time of year especially festive. From decorating a tree to hanging mistletoe, we invest a lot of time and thought into creating the perfect holiday atmosphere. Have you ever wondered if any of your traditions might lead to a holiday pet emergency? A decorated Christmas trees is beautiful, but some ornaments and decorations can pose risks to dogs and cats. Have you ever known a cat who could resist the shiny glass ornaments hanging off of the branches? They are irresistible! A few playful bats and suddenly the festively colored globe shatters on the floor. Glass fragments can cut sensitive paws and noses ,and inevitably end up in our bare feet! Tinsel, ribbons and even lights can be dangerous for cats, and sometimes for dogs too. The string-like consistency of these decorations can be very problematic if a pet swallows the material. The string can lodge in the pet’s intestines and actually generate a saw-like motion, which could lead to perforation and eventually to peritonitis. Veterinarians refer to this as a “linear foreign body” and the outcome can be deadly. It’s not something we’d normally think about, but curious pets often wonder what’s wrapped inside of those gifts under the tree. Presents that contain any sort of food can be sniffed out and irresistible to some pets! Sometimes mere curiosity can lead an enthusiastic pet to eat ribbon, bows or wrapping paper. When giving your pets their presents, be sure to monitor them with their new toys or chews. The excitement of the season can lead to overeating and stomach upset for every member of the family!

Holiday Foods may lead Pets to the ER

There is one simple thing you can do to avoid a trip to the animal ER this holiday season. Avoid the temptation to feed pets from the table! The skin of a holiday turkey, fatty parts of a ham, leftover gravy and other rich foods can all trigger an episode of pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis means inflammation of the pancreas, an organ that provides digestive enzymes and insulin. Under typical circumstances, these powerful chemicals help break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates so the body can make use of the food.

For some reason, these enzymes are occasionally triggered early and actually start damaging the pancreas itself, causing severe inflammation of the organ and surrounding tissues. This is a very painful condition. It is seen more frequently around the holidays when pets eat too much fatty food from holiday meals. This fat is thought to trigger the disease.

Pet owners first notice that their pets just don’t feel well. Then they may have a painful abdomen that gets worse. Often they can develop diarrhea. The classic symptom is vomiting.

Even though symptoms range from mild to life-threatening, acute pancreatitis is a very painful condition. Pets will whine or cry, and often walk with a hunched up appearance. This is a sure sign of pain that may require veterinary care. Dehydration, heart arrhythmias, or blood clotting issues may occur without quick medical attention.

If you notice a change in your pets eating behavior or stance, or any signs of abdominal pain, especially with vomiting, call your veterinarian for early treatment. This could save your pet’s life. Lori H

2012 Boot Giveaway Winner

Thank for all for your amazing comments and feedback. I cannot believe we had 798 comments!

First off I want to congratulate our winner, but then read on as I want to respond to a few of your comments.

CONGRATULATIONS to Kristi P of Collins, OH. You are the winner of our 2012 Ariat Boot Giveaway. I will be personally contacting you to get your style and size of Ladies Dahlia 9" Boots ordered.

Jennifer, you asked for suggestions for your wedding; do you want the boots to match your wedding colors, or are you looking for something that is more universal? Either way, definitely go with something that is going to be comfortable! I have to share that I wore canvas tennis shoes all day at my wedding. My sister-in-law appliqued them to match my wedding dress, so unless I showed you, you had no idea! J By the way, I was very comfortable.

Beverly noted that you would like to see a wider variety of kids boots available through Valley Vet.

Kathy, you have a narrow foot, and no Ariat store close to you to try on, and don’t really want to order from a mail house in case you have to return. You’ve kind of stumped me, but I can tell you I will keep a look-out for a narrow Ariat to add to the catalog.

Many of you ladies are asking for a wider boot, I will also look to add those options, when available, when I’m setting up boots.

Thanks to all of you for listing your favorite boot companies. That will give me leads on who I should start making contact with and see what we can do to add their boots to our selection.

One last thing—check out our facebook page. We are having a 25 days of Christmas drawing giving away over $8000 in prizes.

Thank you and good luck, Julie

2012 Equibrand Giveaway

To continue with the theme for this time of the year…’it is better to give then to receive’…it is with great privilege that I get to announce the next package to win is from Equibrand.

The reason that this is so exciting for me is I know that the product you have a chance to win is made by true professional horse men and women. Let me give you a little background about this fine company.

In 1986, in Granbury, Texas, Classic Rope became one of the first companies to devise and perfect machine manufacturing of the lariat rope. After perfecting the precision details to allow these ropes to be thrown in all conditions, both indoors and out, the company became the leading choice for professional team ropers.

Classic Rope surpassed its own horizon and began to think how they could expand their business. In 1995, under the name Classic Equine, other high quality products were developed, including saddle pads, protective boots, cinches, bits, spurs, accessories and more.

The companies merged together in 1996 to be known as Equibrand.

Still dedicated to the performance horse industry today, Equibrand’s goal is to support every individual who strives to be the best at what they do with their horse. What I believe to be this company’s mission statement is simple. I feel they strive to constantly improve their products for you, to help you accomplish your goals.  TRAIN, COMPETE, WIN!

CLASSIC EQUINE PACKAGE GIVE-A-WAY! TO ENTER:

1. Answer the question in the comments section of this blog post:
Where and how do you compete like a champion?

and

2. Tweet or Like the post.

THE RULES:
One entry per person, please. (Note: if you don't see your entry right away, please don't enter a second time. It will show up shortly!)

No entries after 8:00 am Central Time Wednesday November 28, 2012.

One winner will be selected at random and announced Wednesday. The winner can choose their color of #25376 Classic Legacy System Support Boot and #39232 Extra Sensory Protection Pad.

I’m Dreaming of a FREE Pair of Boots!

I’m dreaming of a FREE pair of boots! Who’s with me??

I am probably selfish, but about this time every year, when I’m making my Christmas list and checking it twice to make sure I didn’t forget anyone….I always find myself wanting to add my own name to the list.

✓ Julie—new pair of boots

Do I need them, no, I have, um several pair in my closet…just ask my husband and sons! But the glory or downfall of my job is I get to see all the new boots that are coming out every quarter, from every company…and my mouth drops and I start salivating…..”oh if I could just get that pair.”

However, as the old saying goes, "it is better to give than to receive", so I want to add you to my Christmas list and give YOU a FREE pair of boots.

One lucky winner will win a pair of Ladies Dahlia 9" Boots or Mens Crossfire Boots and all you have to do is like this blog and tell me either:

TO ENTER

1)    What is your favorite brand of boots and why?

Or

2) Do you find what you are looking for in way of the boot selection through our Valley Vet site, if not, what are you looking for?

THE RULES

One entry per person, please. (Note: if you don't see your entry right away, please don't enter a second time. It will show up shortly!)

No entries after 8:00 am Central Time Wednesday Novemeber 21, 2012.

One winner will be selected at random and announced Wednesday.

The winner can choose from one of the following: Ladies Dahlia 9" Boots (#20033) or Mens Crossfire Boots (#37829)

Good luck! Julie

 

Be Prepared to Assist with Calving

Calving season can be unpredictable. You can’t eliminate all of the surprises and late night barn checks, but difficult births are much easier to manage when you’re prepared. First-calf heifers labor longer, tire easily, and are more likely to require assistance. Only a small percentage of calving problems come from seasoned cows.

Before stepping in to help, assess her progress by answering these questions:
Has the cervix dilated?
Has the water sac broken?
Will the calf fit through the pelvis?
Is the calf in normal birthing position?

When the cervix is fully dilated, active delivery begins and contractions become very strong. The calf should be right-side up in forward position with both front legs and the head extending into the birth canal. If the calf presents normally, most births will progress without your assistance. The cow will often lie down at this point and begin to push.

Once her water has broken, it’s important to see progress. When the calf moves from water to air, its first instinct is to take a breath. If the calf doesn’t present normally or progress hasn’t been made in a 30 minute period of laboring, determine whether you can assist or need to call on a veterinarian. Time is crucial. Most calves lost at birth will die from suffocation or from injuries associated with delayed calving.

If you make the decision to assist with the birth, wash and disinfect all equipment, your arms and hands, and the cow’s perineum to prevent bacteria and infection. Use OB gloves and OB lube for lubrication and protection during vaginal exams. If using OB chains, secure them around the calf’s legs and then pull alternately to gradually increase traction. This will help ease the head and shoulders free. A calf puller is a worthy investment for most cow-calf operations. It puts traction on the calf and the counterthrust against the cow for quicker delivery with less effort. Lori H

Like LubriSyn? Win a trip to Churchill Downs!

How does this sound? You and your BFF, with boots on and bags packed, head for an exclusive trip to Kentucky horse country? The makers of LubriSyn Joint Supplement for horses and dogs and LubriSyn HU for people, invite you to enter their “Come Play in Our Backyard Contest”!

One Grand Prize Winner receives an exclusive trip for 2 to visit Kentucky horse country during Derby week April 29th thru May 3rd, 2013. A $4500 value:
Flight for 2 adults, (each must be at least 21 years of age, or older)
Hotel accommodations for five nights
Rental Car
VIP tour of Churchill Downs barn area and visit with Kentucky Derby horses*
Tour of Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY
Private day of roping in a gorgeous private arena with Dr. Allday
Exclusive tour of Woodford Reserve Distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Tour
*tickets to the Kentucky Derby are not included.

One Second Place Winner Receives:
A 4-gallon case of LubriSyn, a $1400 value

One Third Place Winner Receives:
A case of LubriSynHU, a $500 value

How to Enter
Submit a story or testimonial explaining how LubriSyn has affected you, your dog, or your horse. Entries must be received by January 15, 2013. Find the rules and online entry form here: http://lubrisyn.com/come-play-in-our-backyard/

Good Luck! Lori H