Meredyth Jones, DVM, MS, DACVIM

Please note: this calendar is only designed to serve as an aid in designing a herd/flock health program. Adjustments should be made according to specific animals health needs, production goals and climate.

Extralabel use of drugs in small ruminants can be a confusing issue, highlighted by complicated regulations, an openness for interpretation, and in individual animal's intended use. In this session, I will attempt to give an overview of the regulations regarding extralabel drug use in small ruminants, some guidance in decision-making, and resources I have found useful.

First compartment (C1) fluid examination is a diagnostic aid for animals exhibiting abdominal distension, reduced fecal output, anorexia, and abnormal first compartment texture or motility.

Parasite infestations in camelid herds frequently cause insidious disease and go unrecognized until an individual animal succumbs to the disease. For this reason, cases of severe parasitism in an individual should lead to a herd investigation of prevalence and management techniques.

A complete blood count can be an important extension of the physical examination in ruminants and may be used to suggest certain disease processes when exam findings are vague and is useful for establishing a prognosis in many cases.

Ataxia without paresis, mentally alert, intention tremors, nystagmus, truncal sway, base-wide stance, hypermetria, pick up feet and slam down hard, excellent muscle tone, fall over backwards, no conscious proprioceptive deficits, may lack menace response but have normal vision.

Due to the poor prognosis and expense associated with clinical cases of obstructive urolithiasis as well as the herd or flock implications of the disease, considerable focus should be placed on prevention.

Fortunately, camelid parturition generally goes off without a hitch, with less than 5% of births being dystocias.