Why don't vets want to doctor cattle any more?

[johndeerefarmer]

The neighbor called me over last Saturday evening to look at a sick calf of hers. I diagnosed it as blackleg and gave it a shot of antibiotics (knowing that it's chances were slim to none). She had called her vet and got the answering service. All of the vets in our area use the same answering service. Each vet takes turn being on call. Anyway, the vet on call wasn't her vet. This vet refused to come out because he hadn't seen this calf before. What kind of crap is this? How could the vet on call have expected the have seen this animal before?

The north Texas region has lot's of cattle but the vets want to stay in their offices and work on dogs and cats. One, dog and cat owners tend to pay not matter what the price and two, it's safer and cleaner work........

What's a cattleman to do? I doctor all of mine that I can and take the rest to Durant OK, 20 miles from my house... This vet is located next to the stockyards and doesn't mind working cattle.

Do any of you have this problem?

BTW, the calf died that night. I got the neighbor to take it to Durant to confirm my diagnosis. It was blackleg...... Believe it or not, the vet there was open on Sunday morning.

Heck, I just may have to move to Oklahoma......

 

[J]

I agree with you about the poor quality of the vets in your area but I hardly think that is reason enough to move to Oaklahoma. Just kidding,


Hope you and your neighbor have better luck in the future.

 

[bigbull338]

alot of vets want the easy money that doctoring dogs an cats make them.working cattle is dirty dangerious work.an they dont want to get hurt or dirty.ive got a good livestock vet.but only use him when i need meds.an on stuff that we cant do.scott

 

[flaboy]

We have some LA vets but they want to stay in the area where they live which is mostly around areas with a large horse population. They will come vaccinate FFA or 4H stock but that's about it unless they can spend the whole day at several close farms.

With my cattle, if I can't fix them they either get a bullet or the trailer depending on what is wrong.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Alot of vets grew up in the livestock business.they get to thinking they want to make a career out of being a vet.they soon find out theres a whole lot more money in small animal practice. alot of them get soured out pretty quick when they go out to a farm and have to chase a cow are over creation to work on it . or get the sh** kicked out of them, i married a vet she now wishs she became a MD. these people really need to have there minds made up when they make there carreer choice

 

[docgraybull]

Small animals = easy work = Big $$$$$. Large animals = hard work = little $$$$$.

One of the vets that we use also commented that most cattlemen consider themselves somewhat of a "lay vet", so they do most of their own vet work. They usually call a vet when a cow is on the verge of death. The cow usually dies despite whatever treatment the vet can give at that point - then the cattleman claims that the vet never does him any good, and he is resentful about the bill since the cow died anyway.

johndeerefarmer come on to Oklahoma - our vets love cattle and still make farm calls.

 

[cul8r]

4 or 5 head of cattle to the pens at the back of the vets office==$100 about 45 minutes of work

1 blue heeler through the front door == $138.79 about 10 minutes work

That's why they don't like to work on cattle anymore.

 

[Rancher6]

There is no money in a large animal practice like docgraybull said. My dad is a vet and while I was growing up, I watched him work his butt off for 34 years to make a rural practice work. Going out to someones place with pens that are cobbled up and dangerous, wild livestock, doing a C-section at midnight on the side of a hill in a snowstorm with the pick up headlights, going to the salebarn every week for 34 years. If he would have gotten hurt, we would have been in trouble growing up. He said if he had to do it all over he would move to Dallas/ Ft worth area and treat dogs and cats only. It is really tight in my hometown now that he is retired. No one wants to move there to work like that. Thats what turned me off of going to vet school myself. I always thought he was grouchy, but now looking back I can see why. Maybe someone will eventually move there.

 

[dun]

Makes me appreciate out vet all the more. Gotta go along with the dog costs. Office visit 12 bucks, medication 3 bucks, what a racket!
Our dog vet is the wife of our cow vet.

dun

 

[Brandonm2]

$15??? It costs me $85 too get a dog it's shots and checked for worms!! And this vet is cheaper than the old vet.

 

[Chuckie]

Looks like they think it is easier to pick up that 50 lb cha-wa-wa and set it on the table in his airconditioned office than it is to pick up Bessie. I would have trouble telling someone that I haven't seen the calf before as my excuse. Just be honest and say, "I don't do cows."

 

[TXBobcat]

The vet we use is pretty reasonable if you bring the animals in, but if he has to come out, it can get costly. For example, we were going to take a bull to a sale that was requiring him to be TB tested. I talked to the vet about coming out to do it and he said $150. I asked if I could bring him in, and he said he didn't have the facilities to handle him (Longhorn). We ended up not doing the TB test. Normally I just take our young heifers in to be bangs vaccinated - all other vaccinations, worming, etc. we handle ourselves at the ranch.

All in all, I would rate him as a good vet, one reason being that I can call him for advice anytime I need to.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, let's put the shoe on the other foot for a minute.

You are the veterinarian.

You have a hip replacement to do on Pookie. Cost to client? $2500 or possibly more after physio and meds.

You have a C-section to do on a cow 100 miles away. Drive time is costly but you charge $75 bucks and the client hits the roof.

You lose the calf because you were either called to late or it was "just one of those things". $300 more on the bill - farmer Brown hits the roof again.

That hip replacement is done in your own office and surgey.

The owner is grateful and gives high praise. Pays with no complaint and pays on time.

The C-Section takes place with a cow tied to a tractor with a chain and it is pouring rain and there is no roof. You do not even get the offer of a bucket of hot water, soap and clean towel. It is 0300 and boy would a coffee (no offer) taste good right now.

Farmer complains about price - to you and everyone within 100 miles - and then pays on 90 days.

Which veterinarian would you like to be?

Saw this last year when I rode with my veterinarian for a few days - just for the heck of it.

Bez'

 

[Susie David]

Do we ever feel lucky....we have not one but three, yes three large animal vets in the same office and they all are good vets.
Of course the young one gets to travel to the sale every monday, the o'l timers paid their dues already....and they have
a gal who practices occasionally...large animal too. Yes they do farm calls. Thank God that we haven't had to have them out yet....Susie

 

[johndeerefarmer]

Guess my point is, you either do large animals or you don't...... You don't beat around the bush with hogwash like " I haven't saw the animal before; therefore I can't come look at it.

Don't them vets take a oath like a doctor to care for ALL animals..............

 

[ffamom]

We have a tough time finding a vet also. One local vet that sponsors our ag chapter is great during the day, but he lives a couple of hours away from his practice. When he treats the ag kids cattle for free, so you can't ask him to drive back to look at your cow or calf. Therefore, we maintain contact with a vet practice in Decatur which is about an hours drive from us. I can't complain about them other than we have to pay for their services. Other than those two, we are out of luck when our bovine are ill.

 

[memanpa]

don't let my grandaughter see these posts about how much dog/cat vets make!!
she is in the process of applying for vet schools to become a large animal vet, if she sees these posts she might change her mind!
hate to lose my investment of helping her pay for schooling should she decide to change her mind!!
vickey any suggestions ? has a 3.7 gpa U of ARIZ, which she is not fond of the vet program. currently working for a large animal vet and loves it PROTECT my investment folks am paying her tution !!
UC DAVIS? U OF COLO? others??

 

[jcarkie]

it is kind of strange, i have dogs they never go to the vet i don't want to waste money on them unless it is serious. my cows however know my vet by name i will invest in them because if you lose them it is a big investment. we have a great clinic here with several good vets, i am thankful

 

[flaboy]

don't let my grandaughter see these posts about how much dog/cat vets make!!
she is in the process of applying for vet schools to become a large animal vet, if she sees these posts she might change her mind!
hate to lose my investment of helping her pay for schooling should she decide to change her mind!!
vickey any suggestions ? has a 3.7 gpa U of ARIZ, which she is not fond of the vet program. currently working for a large animal vet and loves it PROTECT my investment folks am paying her tution !!
UC DAVIS? U OF COLO? others??

I would think if you wanted to protect your investment you WOULD tell her. She will make a lot more money on frilly pets. :lol:

 

[Cheyenne]

Memanpa,

Have her check out Iowa State University in Ames. I understand it is one of the best vet schools in the country. (of course I am not biased or anything)

Good Luck!!