North East Farm & Family Mobile Veterinary Service

09/09/2023

Dear NEFFVET Clients ,

NEFFVET turns 10 years old this October. Hard to believe. It has been a great pleasure to serve this area over that time. With time comes change, something we have all experienced especially of late. This year brings big changes to NEFFVET and for Dr. Pearson.

Dr. Pearson has accepted an offer to further her mission of improving animal health and welfare as Assistant State Veterinarian, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The decision to make NEFFVET a part time venture has not been taken lightly and realize that this will impact many.

As of 09/25/2023 NEFFVET will no longer be able to be a full time/24h care provider with the responsibilities that come with the new opportunity. We plan to offer care going forward on a by appointment basis.This means WE WILL NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL EMERGENCY & URGENT CARE NEEDS. We will be referring emergency/urgent care needs to other facilities in the event we are unable to attend.

Dr. Pearson is planning to be available to clients as often as possible M-F, but appointments will be very limited. We recommend finding a primary care veterinarian who can be available for ALL of your routine and urgent/emergent needs because that is what is best for the animals under your care. Please let us know where to forward any patient records, we will miss you, but we want the best for the animals which means continuity of care is of high importance.

We appreciate many of you will have a lot of questions. Many we will not have answers for immediately. Thank you for your support and flexibility. If you have any questions, please contact the office via Televet found on our website (www.neffvet.com) in the red chat bubble or by replying to [email protected].

Please understand we will not be available to take every phone call as we undergo this transition.

Best wishes,
NEFFVET & Dr. Pearson

Open by appointment only. Dr. Pearson has accepted the position of Assistant State Veterinarian and will do her best to serve our current VCPR client base on a part time capacity. Emergency & urgent services may be referred to other facilities due to this change in circumstances.

07/04/2023

05/29/2023

Remembering all those who were lost to become our freedom. We honor you today and are every day thankful.

05/22/2023

NEFFVET is looking for you! This is your chance to join and experience the rural vet life. Put your valuable skills to use in helping us help many creatures from chickens to cattle on any given day. Join us in the office or on the road with the option to work from home on some days as well. Is this your dream job? LVT/CVT are desired for this position, though we are open to someone working towards qualification who we are the perfect fit for.

05/01/2023

It's May Day! 30 days until June. Most of you are well prepared by now.

For those of you stocking up the shelves in preparation for the changes coming to how antibiotics are sold and used next month; please keep the following in mind:

Withdrawal Period, also known as withholding period, is the time that MUST elapse between the administration of a veterinary medicine and the proruction of food from that animal to ensure that the food does not contain levels of the medicine within that animal's body does not exceed the maximum residue limit.

All antibiotics have labeled uses that have been heavily studied with detailed protocols on the packaging for each species for that intended use. Anytime we use a medication outside of that labeled use, it falls under the federal juristiction of Extra Labeled Usage Drug (ELUD).

ELUD's are common in the realm of minor species such as goats and pet birds. It is common in veterinary medicine to treat certain conditions with medications that do not have a specific labeled use for the condition treated. This means that a withdrawal period has to be issued by the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank for that specific animal treated with the specific antibiotic at the specific dose used at that specific time to keep everyone safe. A copy of that treatment must be part of the animals record by the farm and veterinarian. It's a lot of work to do things right!

Now, what about medications that are expired? THROW THEM AWAY. Expiration dates are real, especially for injectables. Expired means the medications don't work the way that they used to or that their packaging breaks down and allows for contamination, which effects usefulness. Anything in a brown bottle is light-sensitive and definitely is not going to work as intended past the expiration date. Using more isn't going to fix the problem. Using more or not enough changes the withdrawal and can result in antibiotic resistance.

***Please note that under the law, we cannot and will not provide treatment protocols, dosages or withdrawal periods for medications we don't prescribe. This is for our protection as well as the animals and their keepers living in todays world. ***

This should go without saying, but the storage instructions on the packaging are also very important. Leaving medications in the hot sun or freezing in the barn can make them worthless as the medication can be broken down and not work properly. This is also true for vaccines. Do you have a thermometer in your fridge?

Another common bad habit we see is leaving needles sicking out of the top of injectables that got used and were then left chillin' on the shelf in the barn for 6+ months. Ew. The resident needle creates a super highway for air, dirt, fungus, mold and bacteria to enter the bottle! Don't do it unless you want to make your own injectable vial snow globe. Fun to look at, not fun to use.

If you are marketing or using products from animals and are not paying attention to these things, it could make someone very sick, negatively impact animal health/welfare and result in a bigger mess than one started with. Most of you already know this, but for those of you who don't, please keep this information in the forefront of your mind when you are at the homestead and shopping at the farmer's markets.

04/21/2023

They're here! Come check out the Heritage Baby Animals Exhibit - 6th Edition. This is a great event focusing on educating visitors about livestock and their importance to society past and present.

This event has gone to great lengths to preserve animal welfare, comfort, and biosecurity while on view for the public. We applaud and support Strawbery Banke for their efforts!

03/02/2023

With many people and animals anticipating new babies coming it is time to look through those first aid kits. Check your animal medicine cabinet and first aid kits regularly. Keep a list and check it twice, better find out what's expired and nice in those kits before you need them.

This post is also a reminder about government-mandated VCPR changes and antibiotic over-the-counter (OTC) sales coming in June 2023. We must have done a wellness exam (animal not sick or needing a procedure that day) on the premises within the past calendar year to provide basic prevention prescriptions including basic antibiotics like the penicillin listed in this first aid kit list. More information can be found on our website under the announcements tab.

Have a wonderful snowy day!

02/14/2023

Happy Valentines Day!

02/08/2023

Antibiotics are coming off the shelves of retail stores June 2023 as mandated by the FDA. This is bringing us all a lot of change to our local agricultural landscape. Make sure you and yours have a Veterinary Client Patient Relationship (VCPR) so you are prepared for the changes to come this summer.

At NEFFVET we plan to arm our VCPR clients with written treatment protocols for common farm specific ailments and make sure clients have ready access to the medications outlined within that treatment plan. We already offer this to our current VCPR clients so it will be an easy transition. In some cases clients will be given those antibiotics and prescriptions at their annual wellness/health planning appointments. We aim to offer in person and telehealth/consulting services to our VCPR clients to aid in our treatment plans and expedite communication.

Clients utilizing veterinarians for emergency only cannot be deemed VCPR clients under the State and Federal Veterinary practice act laws. Know this and be prepared, veterinarians cannot bend federal law and it is unrealistic to expect them to. Be proactive.

More information can be found on our website under the Announcements tab.

Plan ahead. Save lives, time and frustration.

See you next month for another reminder for the changes coming Summer of 2023.

01/31/2023

Hi, Friends and Family! Galaxy Goats is hosting an online event Feb 24 at 7pm to help farm animal owners learn how to respond in an emergency. We cannot always predict when an emergency will arise, but we can be better prepared. Sharing is caring as they say, please share with your farm friends and family!

01/11/2023

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-finalizes-guidance-bring-remaining-approved-over-counter-medically-important-antimicrobial-drugs

This link will take you to the FDA order to remove antibiotics from the shelves of feed stores, agricultural suppliers and online retailers summer of 2023. This is a BIG change to our agricultural landscape and to already dwindling number of farm animal veterinarians. The FDA's plan to increase antibiotic stewardship and regulation has been in motion for the past 4 years with completion set for June 2023.

How will this affect you if you have a valid Veterinary Client Patient Relationship (VCPR)? Not much. You contact your veterinarian who you see each year and you work out a plan to get the medications needed after the recommended exam (in person or virtual where applicable) and follow the treatment protocol.

How will this affect you if you do not have a valid VCPR? FDA has mandated you need veterinary guidance and a prescription for any antibiotics used. This means you have to have a valid VCPR. The veterinarian will be in federal violation to dispense antibiotics without a valid VCPR per FDA/AVMA/State mandates.

Yes this costs money, more than usual if you don't utilize a veterinarian. All problems cost money when we think about it. Some problems cost more money than they should if not handled appropriately. Ever do a DIY project at home that turned out less than ideal? This is about the future as far as the FDA is concerned and veterinarians are bound to uphold to the law or face prosecution. Please do not make their lives more difficult. Complain to your state and federal law makers instead to make the changes you want to see.

In the interest of preventing animal suffering, protecting our food supply and upholding to the federal law NEFFVET wants our agricultural community to be well informed and prepared for this change. Tell your neighbors, friends and coworkers. This is going to take a while for us all to get used to and we will be doing our best here to keep more things in stock and devise cost effective means of providing care that fits within the framework of the law. More information can be found about the VPCR and this new regulation change on our website at www.neffvet.com under the Announcements tab.

Plan ahead, be prepared. It saves lives, wasted time and frustration.

We will be launching monthly reminders and more information for everyone's convenience.

01/04/2023

NEFFVET Veterinary Client Patient Relationship Statement
The Veterinary Client-Patient Relationship, VCPR, is the legally mandated basis for the interaction between the veterinarian, clients and their patients. This vital relationship is paramount for providing quality care and upholding animal welfare by allowing the veterinarian to regularly assess animal patient environmental and physical status and to communicate regularly with the animal owner- the client.
Establishment of the VCPR means:
• The veterinarian has assumed responsibility for making medical judgements regarding the health of the animal patient including the need for medical treatment. The animal owner/client has agreed to comply fully with the veterinarian’s instructions.
• The veterinarian has sufficient knowledge of the animal patient to initiate a preliminary diagnosis of the medical condition. Meaning, the veterinarian has physically examined the patient within the past 12 months during a regularly scheduled non emergent appointment. Additionally, should an animal patient possess a condition or need for recurring therapy such as with controlled substances, the care is conducted within the prescribed guidelines.
• The veterinarian is available for ongoing care of the patient or has arranged for emergency coverage or continuing care and treatment of the animal by an appropriate veterinary professional or veterinary referral center.
• The veterinarian maintains comprehensive medical records indicating the assessment, treatment plan to allow for another veterinarian to provide continuity of care should the need arise.
• The client has agreed to pay their account balance at the time of service.
• Telehealth/consults may be utilized to benefit the VCPR, but only with the context of a previously established physical examination within the past calendar year or sooner as deemed appropriate by the veterinarian befitting the scenario. Telehealth/consults are an aid to the VCPR in the diagnosis, formation of the treatment plan and prescribing only.