1269 Main St, Glastonbury, CT 06033
860.659.0848
Beckett & Associates Veterinary Services, LLC
Glastonbury Connecticut Veterinarians
Beckett & Associates is a mixed practice for companion animals & farm animals
Breaking Animal News
Discounted Spring Haul-In Clinics: Calling All Horses!
Mar 01, 2010
This Spring we will be offering two haul in clinics in the month of April. Take advantage of discounted services from vaccines & teeth floating to Coggins testing, bloodwork & sheath cleanings. Schedule your horse to come to our Clinic on these two Saturdays in April & take advantage of these special offerings! Please visit the following link for more information.
Parasite Resistance: Deworming by Dr. Beckett
Jan 31, 2010
Parasitism in horses is probably the biggest problem for horse owners to deal with. It never goes away, but we can manage the problem. Many people have thought that managing the problem was to buy a tube of wormer every two months and give it to each horse that they owned. That worked when the wormers were new to veterinary medicine and animal husbandry 50 years ago, but times are changing.
The last new wormer class introduced was in the early 1980’s, the avermectins. Ivermectin was the first available in the USA, and seemed like a wonder drug. It did lower the number of colics seen tremendously after its introduction. Unfortunately, resistance has been occurring for this product class for years in Australia and New Zealand with their intensive animal agriculture. That resistance has been found in sheep and goats in this country too, and now is being reported in horses. We will be pushed into a back to the future farm management plan.
What do I mean? The old ways of controlling parasites prior to modern wormers will become important again. Years ago, English research showed that picking up manure piles weekly was as effective in preventing worms as every two month worming. Horses graze pasture as lawns and roughs, not for golf, but for their own parasite control. They eat less grass in roughs, and only the taller, drier stems. Fecal contamination is the source of all common horse parasites, so minimizing fecal contamination of food is most important.
Modern farm management will dictate that we pick turnouts weekly, or more often. We can feed our animals on raised fence line surfaces for outside hay and grain if they are feed on dirt lots, but I like them low so dust settles to the ground(6-12” above ground level). Follow a regular worming program that rotates products and checks fecal samples so that you know that the worming products work. You may need to consult with your veterinarian to do testing or evaluations for your particular needs.
Few, if any Connecticut horse farms have these problems yet. However, farm animals have been shipped into the state with this problem, and they have been accompanied with a high death loss. We want to avoid that with our horses. Keep feed areas clean, clean up manure, and worm strategically and we should prevent this problem from occurring here.
Now Offering: Senior Wellness Packages for your older pets!
Jan 22, 2010
We are currently offering our senior wellness program to look for disease processes that show no outward signs yet, and can be treated by minor things like dietary changes to enhance longevity and vitality. The program includes a discounted package of nutritional analysis, blood chemistry & CBC screening, blood pressure check, chest radiographs & urinalysis. These are all tools that help us to detect serious medical conditions early!
February is National Dental Month!
Jan 22, 2010
Start the year off right by doing you and your pet a favor. Having your pets teeth cleaned regularly reduces their risk of getting secondary infections. Think about how your mouth would feel if you didn’t brush for 6 months. February is national pet dental month !
What is a dental prophylaxis? Well, the veterinarian may have recommended one to your pet while he or she was in for their yearly check-up. After making an appointment, your pet should check in first thing in the morning and will go home later that afternoon. A pre- anesthetic blood profile is recommended for dentals and for any patient undergoing a surgical procedure, involving anesthesia. A full scaling of the teeth is done to remove the bacteria filled tartar and plaque. This will eventually solve the problem of your pet’s gingivitis. Followed by the scaling, polishing and fluoride is applied. Your pet’s teeth will be charted as human teeth are at the dentist and can be referred back to at your pet’s next dental prophylaxis.
It is important to know that dental care is the procedure that seems to improve the quantity and quality of life more than anything else that we do for our adult patients. It is one of the biggest reasons pet and human life has doubled in the last 100 years.
Help your furry friend out today by scheduling a discounted dental cleaning in the month of February!
Now offering Computerized Radiology!
Jan 22, 2010
Beckett & Associates recently converted to computerized radiology (commonly referred to as CR) on January 1st of this year. The clinic now has an Agfa reader that reads x-ray plates like conventional films as well as a Scan-x system that can go in the field for ambulatory work and also do dental radiographs of tooth problems. Our new system is fast, easy & convenient for all of your radiographic needs!
Free Lectures
Jan 21, 2010
Beckett & Associates is offering free educational lectures once a month. Check out our Lectures page to view the details on our upcoming lectures.
H1N1 Flu Virus and Pets
Jan 04, 2010
Frequently Asked Questions about the 2009 H1N1 Flu Virus and Pets from the AVMA
Purchasing Pet Drugs Online: Buyer Beware
Dec 29, 2009
FDA Consumer Health Handout about purchasing your pets drugs online