Pinnacle Veterinary Services

09/25/2026

Case of the Week ❤️

When we started “Case of the Week,” it was meant to be fun and educational—to share interesting cases, teach a little, and bring some light into veterinary medicine.

Today, we’re taking a break from the case.

Because there’s a side of veterinary medicine most people never see.

The late-night phone calls.
The emergencies.
The euthanasias.
The difficult conversations.
The cases that don’t have happy endings.
The weight of making decisions when someone’s beloved family member is depending on you.

And then you go home and try to be a spouse, a parent, a friend—and just a person.

Veterinary medicine is hard, even on the easy days.

Our profession also has a serious mental health and su***de crisis. It’s something we need to be willing to talk about.

Because behind every veterinarian, technician, assistant, and receptionist is a human being.

Someone who gets tired.
Someone who gets overwhelmed.
Someone who sometimes needs someone to simply ask, “Are you okay?”

So check on your veterinary people. Not just when they’re struggling. Check on them when everything looks fine.

And if you’re the one struggling behind the scenes, please remember:

Veterinary medicine is what we do. It is not who we are.

We are parents. Spouses. Friends. Sons and daughters. We have people who love us and lives waiting for us outside these four walls.

Veterinary medicine is what we do.
⬇️⬇️⬇️This is who we are ⬇️⬇️⬇️

09/24/2026

These kittens have found their barn! 🏠

🐾 Barn Kittens Looking for a New Home! 🐾

We have TWO barn kittens here at the clinic who are looking for a new barn to call home! 🐱🏡

These two are ready to trade their clinic digs for a barn, farm, or other safe outdoor space where they can put their hunting skills to work and have a place to call their own. 🌾🐭

✨ Already spayed/neutered!
✨ Looking for a barn/farm home
✨ Ready for their next adventure!

If you have a safe barn that could use a couple of furry mousers, or know someone who does, give the clinic a call 931-221-2012 or stop on by! ❤️

Let’s find these two a barn to call home! 🐾

09/23/2026

📣 LET’S MAKE SOME NOISE! 🎉🔨

Renovation Update #2 — Day 5 of Construction!

We’re only 5 days in, and the progress is already something to celebrate! 🙌 The transformation is starting to take shape, and we couldn’t be more excited to see this project come together.

Stay tuned… there’s a lot more to come! 🏗️✨

09/11/2026

🇺🇸 Clinic Update for Today 🇺🇸

Our clinic is OPEN today and accessible by phone during our normal business hours. However, due to the Homecoming Parade this afternoon, access to the clinic will be limited/inaccessible for a period of time while the parade is taking place.

If you need to get to the clinic, please visit us before the parade or once access to the clinic has reopened. We appreciate your patience and understanding!

❤️🤍💙

Today, we also pause to remember September 11, 2001 — honoring the lives lost, the families forever changed, and the courage and sacrifice of the first responders and countless others who served that day and in the years that followed.

We will never forget. 🇺🇸

09/10/2026

Peanut says: “🐾 COME WORK WITH US! 🐾”

We’re looking for a Veterinary Assistant to add to our team! 💙

If you’re someone who loves animals, doesn’t mind getting a little dirty, and can keep up when things get busy and crazy, we might be looking for you!

We’re looking for someone who is:
🐶 Comfortable with both small & large animals
💪 Hardworking and dependable
🏃‍♀️ Able to handle a fast-paced environment
🧠 Self-motivated and willing to jump in without always being asked
🤝 A team player
❤️ Someone who genuinely enjoys working in veterinary medicine

We see a little bit of everything around here, and no two days are exactly alike! Some days you’re helping with appointments, some days you’re working with our large animal patients, and some days… well, you just have to roll with whatever walks (or gets carried 😅) through the door!

We’re currently going through the resumes and applications that have already been submitted. If we think you’d be a good fit for our team, we’ll be reaching out to schedule an interview.

Thank you to everyone who has applied and shown interest in joining us! We appreciate you! 🐾💙

Think you’d be a good fit? We’d love to meet you! Email your resumes to [email protected] or stop in to fill out an application! 😊

09/09/2026

🐾 NEW PRODUCT ALERT! 💩🐾

We’re excited to announce that we are now carrying Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements FortiFlora® PRO Diarrhea Response Kits for both dogs and cats!

These kits are designed to provide short-term support for pets experiencing occasional/acute diarrhea and contain both a FortiFlora® PRO probiotic supplement and a synbiotic action powder to help support healthy intestinal balance. 🦠❤️

✨ Available for dogs & cats
✨ Convenient, easy-to-use packets
✨ Great to keep on hand for those unexpected tummy troubles!

Who can purchase?
These products are available for purchase through Pinnacle Veterinary Services for established clients with a current Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR).

If your pet is experiencing diarrhea, give us a call! Not every case of diarrhea is something that should simply be treated at home, so our veterinary team can help determine whether this product is appropriate for your pet. 🩺🐶🐱

📞 Pinnacle Veterinary Services

09/04/2026

🐴 🐴 CASE OF THE WEEK: EQUINE COLIC — WHAT DO YOU DO? 🚨

Colic is not a specific disease—it simply means abdominal pain. The cause can range from something as simple as gas or an intestinal spasm to an obstruction, displacement, strangulation, or other life-threatening emergency.

Because you cannot determine the cause based solely on how your horse looks, any suspected colic warrants a call to your veterinarian.

🚨 FIRST: CALL YOUR VETERINARIAN

🌡️ TAKE THEIR TEMPERATURE

❤️ CHECK THEIR HEART RATE

👄 CHECK THE GUMS

💩 CHECK FOR MANURE

🥣 REMOVE FEED

💊 WHAT ABOUT BANAMINE?

This is where we see a lot of confusion.

Banamine (flunixin meglumine) is an important medication used by veterinarians to control pain associated with colic.

However, DON’T: repeatedly give Banamine, combine it with other NSAIDs or give it incorrectly.

🩺 WHAT WILL YOUR VETERINARIAN DO?

A colic examination isn’t just about determining whether your horse is “constipated.”

Your veterinarian is trying to determine:

Is this something we can treat medically—or is this a horse that needs referral and potentially surgery?

🧤 RE**AL PALPATION

A re**al examination allows your veterinarian to feel portions of the abdominal contents that cannot otherwise be examined.

👃 WHEN IS A STOMACH TUBE NECESSARY?

This is especially important with colic.

Horses cannot vomit.

If fluid or gas accumulates in the stomach because the intestine isn’t allowing normal passage, the stomach can become dangerously distended and potentially rupture.

💧 WHAT ABOUT GIVING FLUIDS OR MINERAL OIL?

This is another common misconception.

Mineral oil and other fluids are sometimes administered through a nasogastric tube as part of veterinary treatment, but that does NOT mean they should be syringed into your horse’s mouth at home.

If there is an obstruction or gastric reflux, putting additional fluid into the stomach can be dangerous.

Your veterinarian needs to determine whether the stomach is emptying appropriately before deciding what should be administered and by what route.

❤️ THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO:

CALL YOUR VETERINARIAN EARLY.

🐴 With colic, early recognition and early treatment can make all the difference.

This post is intended for general educational purposes and does not replace a veterinary examination or individualized veterinary instructions.

09/03/2026

Always a pleasure to do business with Fentress County Farm & Home, LLC!

Coming soon to the new location, the thing everyone has been waiting for, a haul-in facility where we will be able to do more things in the clinic vs at the farm, saving you time and money!

Thank you Dr. Ethan Darrow and Pinnacle Veterinary Services for your purchase of a new Priefert horse stock! We appreciate your business

08/31/2026

🚨 PARKING LOT UPDATE 🚨

A portion of our parking lot is currently blocked off due to circumstances outside of our control. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause!

🚗 Parking in front of the clinic is currently limited, but there is additional parking available behind the clinic, accessible from S. Duncan St.

Please feel free to use the parking lot behind the building if the front spaces are full.

Thank you for your patience and understanding while this is being resolved! 💙

08/28/2026

🐾 CASE OF THE WEEK: From Open Wound to Healing! ❤️‍🩹

Take a look at these before-and-after photos! 👀

This patient had a mass removed from the back left leg. Unfortunately, after surgery, our patient opened the incision, and we were unable to successfully close the wound again.

So, we changed our approach and allowed the wound to heal by second intention—meaning the body gradually fills in and closes the wound naturally with new tissue.

But we didn’t just sit back and wait. 💙

We incorporated our SmartRLT SPORT laser into this patient’s treatment plan to help support the healing process.

📸 LEFT: Before laser therapy
📸 RIGHT: After 11 laser treatments over approximately one month

🔦 So, what does the laser actually do?

Laser therapy, also called photobiomodulation, uses therapeutic light energy to interact with cells in the treated tissue. This can help support the body’s natural healing processes by:

✨ Supporting circulation and blood flow
✨ Supporting cellular energy production
✨ Helping reduce inflammation
✨ Helping manage pain and discomfort
✨ Supporting tissue repair
✨ Encouraging healthy wound healing

And this isn’t the only thing we use our SmartRLT SPORT laser for!

Laser therapy can be a helpful part of treatment plans for a variety of conditions, including:

🐶 Wounds and surgical sites
🐴 Bowed tendons and soft-tissue injuries
💪 Muscle soreness and strains
🦴 CCL injuries and tears
🩹 Chronic or slow-healing wounds
🔥 Inflammation and pain

Every patient is different, and laser therapy is used as an adjunct to appropriate medical and/or surgical care, not as a replacement for it.

In this case, 11 treatments over about a month helped support this patient’s healing journey—and the transformation is pretty amazing! 🥰

We love having another tool in our toolbox to help our patients heal, feel better, and get back to doing what they love. ❤️

📞 Want to know if laser therapy could be beneficial for your pet? Give Pinnacle Veterinary Services a call and we’d be happy to discuss whether it may be appropriate for your pet’s treatment plan!