West Dakota Veterinary Clinic

11/13/2026

Dr. Dunn has completed advanced training in both acupuncture and chiropractic for small and large animals.
She offers specialized veterinary acupuncture services as an adjunct therapy for a variety of medical conditions. Acupuncture can help improve circulation, reduce inflammation, alleviate pain, and enhance overall well-being. Each acupuncture point has a targeted effect to promote healing for a variety of conditions. Treatment protocols are tailored to your animal’s specific needs, ensuring a gentle and holistic approach to their care. Whether your pet is recovering from surgery, managing a chronic condition, or simply in need of a little extra relief, veterinary acupuncture could be the solution you’ve been looking for.
Animal Chiropractic is the science, art and philosophy concerned with good health through restoration and maintenance of properly functioning neuromusculoskeletal system without the use of surgery or drugs. It is an alternative therapy using manual therapy to relieve vertebral subluxations. Animal chiropractic is not meant to replace traditional veterinary medicine but complement it. Animal chiropractic focuses on the biomechanical dysfunction of the spine and the subsequent effect on the entire nervous system.
We are excited to offer both acupuncture and chiropractic therapies to our patients.

11/12/2026

This week we held our annual CPR Training and Review for the entire team. We also went over newborn resuscitation (we do a lot of c-sections!) and acupuncture points. Dr. Erika Schumacher and Dr. Amy Dunn lead the training.

11/11/2026

🌟 Cutest Patient of the Day: Pippin! 🐴❤️

Today we're featuring our adorable patient Pippin, a miniature horse with a big personality and an exciting future ahead! His family will soon begin training him for skijoring, a winter sport where a skier is pulled across snow by an animal. While horses are commonly used, miniature horses like Pippin can participate in recreational skijoring, showing off their athleticism, teamwork, and enthusiasm for adventure!

🐴 Miniature Horse Fun Fact:
Miniature horses are not ponies! They are actually bred to look like full-sized horses in a much smaller package and typically stand less than 34-38 inches tall at the shoulder.

We can't wait to see where Pippin's adventures take him. Good luck with your skijoring training, Pippin! ❤️

11/11/2026

Today we honor all who serve.

11/10/2026

❄🐴🌾 Is it safe to graze horses after a hard freeze?

What defines a hard freeze?
🌡 A hard freeze refers to a frost that is severe enough to end the growing season. The National Weather Service defines a hard freeze when temperatures fall below 28ºF for a few hours.
🌾 Cool-season grasses commonly found in Midwest horse pastures go into dormancy for winter and conserve their energy stores (starches and sugars) following a hard freeze.

Is it safe to graze after a hard freeze?
🛑 We recommend keeping horses off pastures for at least 7 days after a hard freeze.
❄️ Frost-damaged pastures are higher in nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC; starches and sugars) because plants can not use up their energy stores as efficiently. It can take plants 7 days to return to more normal NSC levels.
🐴 Higher levels of NSC can lead to an increase risk for laminitis, especially in horses diagnosed with or prone to obesity, laminitis, Cushing's, and Equine Metabolic Syndrome.

What else should you consider before horses resume grazing?
The decision to graze again after a hard freeze depends on the condition of your pasture. After a hard freeze, no additional regrowth of the pasture will occur, even though the pasture might appear green in color. If your cool-season grass pasture is

✅ taller than 3 to 4 inches, then grazing can resume 7 days after a hard freeze and can continue until the pasture is grazed down to 3 to 4 inches.
❌ shorter than 3 to 4 inches, then no grazing should occur after a hard freeze. Grazing below 3 inches can harm the plant and lead to poor productivity next season.

🌾 Plants rely on stored nonstructural carbohydrates in the lower 3 inches for energy. Therefore, the 3- to 4-inch minimum height recommendation is necessary to help maximize winter survival and can help predict a vigorous and healthy pasture come spring. We do recognize horses rarely graze uniformly and pastures tend to have areas of both over and under grazing. You will need to base decisions on the average appearance of your pasture.

11/09/2026

11/04/2026

We have job openings for a Licensed Veterinary Technician and a Veterinary Assistant with an interest in both large and small animal medicine and surgery. We have a modern and progressive practice complete with state-of-the-art surgical facilities for both small animal and equine. We have a fully equipped inhouse lab and a multitude of diagnostic and therapeutic tools. We are looking for a career-minded, friendly, self-motivated individual who wants to be part of a team. This position will involve being a part of an on call and weekend rotation. We offer a competitive wage, health insurance, IRA, vacation days as well as paid holidays, sick days and a CE allowance (for LVTs). If you are interested in being part of a veterinary medical team, please fill out the online application on our website at https://westdakotavet.com/careers.php

10/30/2026

Costumes, wagging tails, and treats galore! Stop by dressed up, human or furry friend, and pick up a special treat from the West Dakota Vet crew

10/30/2026

🐾 Skelly Kat Update! 🐾

It appears life on the run was a little too cold for Skelly Kat! ❄️😹 He's been spotted back in the clinic, sneaking around in a variety of disguises and costumes.

Since Skelly is getting into the Halloween spirit, we'd love to see your pets dressed up too! 🎃🐾

📸 Share a photo of your pet in costume in the comments below. We can't wait to see all the spooky, silly, and adorable outfits!