Coastal Range Veterinary Services

06/02/2026

Hey Mid-Islanders 👋, we are going to be heading your way this Friday, June 5th! We have a number of appointments booked but have room for a few more; so if you would like your animal(s) seen by a veterinarian give us a call or text at 250-733-1339 or email us at [email protected] 😊

05/20/2026

05/05/2026

Don't let this face fool you, this was a SPICY patient.

This female Great-Horned Owl came into us with some intense deep-tissue abdominal bruising. Dr. Rachel Loppe at confirmed that there was no internal bleeding with an ultrasound. We want to say a HUGE thank you to Dr. Loppe for her help!

This owl came to us lethargic and 'droopy' but very quickly turned around and made a speedy recovery. Her spiciness was revealed as she recovered--she became very angry and grabby! She was released less than four weeks post-intake.

How do we know she is a female even though GHOWs are monomorphic? Her weight: healthy females are BIG, and she was chonky!
Stay tuned. We will be sharing her release video soon. 🦉

01/03/2026

Friendly reminder for our sheep and goat clients! 😊

12/22/2025

As many of you are likely aware, the CFIA has recently detected a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the Comox Valley. As such there is now a control zone established around the valley. Exact details of the zone can be found here - https://inspection.canada.ca/en/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/diseases/reportable/avian-influenza/latest-bird-flu-situation/status-province/ai-zones

What this means: You will require a permit to move birds off your premise. The link to understand which permit will be required can be found here - https://inspection.canada.ca/en/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/diseases/reportable/avian-influenza/latest-bird-flu-situation/permits-and-conditions

This is a reminder that avian influenza is here and usually transferred from wild birds. We will likely continue to see a rise in cases throughout the winter months. If your birds seem ill or you experience any sudden death please contact your veterinarian and we can help guide you on next best steps. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out; we are here to help!

12/21/2025

Calving Tip #4 - Don’t forget about calf aftercare!

Navel Dip - we like agents that are both anti-spectic and drying. Iodine has been commonly used but can be damaging to the surrounding tissues of the umbilicus. An alternative would be a 1:1 chlorhexidine:alcohol solution. This should be done early-on after parturition.

Vitamins - Vancouver Island is known to have low selenium levels in our soil (and thus our crops). It is recommended to give calves a Vitamin E/Selenium injection to ensure they do not develop muscle issues while growing. Many producers also elect to give Vitamin A & D injections as well.

Vaccines - We recommend administering, within the first 1-2 weeks of life, an intranasal viral respiratory vaccine to help prevent respiratory disease caused by IBR, BRSV and PI3. This can be boosted after 6 months of age. Speak with your veterinarian to develop a vaccine protocol that is best for your farm.

Castrating - In short, castration should be done as young as possible. Banding should be done within the first week after birth. No matter what method you use on your operation, ensure you know have the proper knowledge on the tools you use and common pitfalls of said castration technique. As always, if you have any questions it is best to speak with your veterinarian.

12/14/2025

Calving Tip #3 - The calf is out.. Now what?

Ensure the calf seems vigorous. Are they breathing? Can they lift their head? Do they have a suckle reflex?
To help stimulate a calf you can rub them vigorously and try eliciting a gasp by sticking straw up their nose or into their ear. We’ve even heard of putting a little cold water into their ear. Do NOT hang them upside down. This was common practice a number of years ago but it has been shown that the fluid you see when you do this does not come from their lungs but rather their rumen (stomach). With doing this you greatly increase the risk of aspiration and therefore pneumonia and other issues.
If a calf is struggling don't forget to get them warm and dry. This can help those marginal calves greatly.
The BCRC has a great VIGOR scoring chart to help you assess your calf.

Colostrum. Colostrum. Colostrum.
Make sure the calf receives an adequate supply of quality colostrum within the first few hours of birth! The sooner the better. Whether the colostrum comes from mum or from a high quality colostrum replacement (not a supplement) it doesn’t matter. What does matter is amount (4L plus), timing (

12/13/2025

Calving Tip #2 - Equipment for assisting a delivery.

At a minimum it is strongly recommended to have gloves and lubrication on hand. If checking on the progress of the calf, cleanliness is important. That means both the back end of the cow and you are clean (with warm water and disinfecting agent, like chlorhexidine or betadine scrub) and you are wearing gloves. And remember, use LOTS of l**e. Not only is it more comfortable for the cow but often can assist in helping deliver the calf.

Of course, there is also other equipment to help with delivering a calf: chains, head snares, calf-pullers etc. If using any of this equipment ensure you are well versed in its use as you can cause injury to both dam and calf with improper use or not knowing how a calf is positioned in the birth canal. As always if you have any questions or concerns it is always best to contact your veterinarian!

12/12/2025

Calving season is fast approaching! Are you ready?
Ensuring you are prepared now can save lots of stress in the moment.

This initially was intended as a one-off post but after writing 2 pages worth of information (and that was cutting lots of info out), we are going to post some information once a day for the next little bit. As always, if you’d like more detailed info or have questions that pertain to your farm please do not hesitate to reach out! We love to talk and share knowledge 🤭

Tip #1 - Make sure you know the signs of impending calving. There are 3 stages to parturition (birth).

Stage 1: Dilation of the cervix. You may notice softening of the pelvic ligaments and/or mucus coming from the the v***a. This stage can take up to 8-12 hours but usually lasts between 2-6 hours. Uterine contractions begin at the end of this stage.

Stage 2: Active labour/delivery of the calf. This stage begins with the appearance of the water bag. Studies have shown that a healthy heifer with a normal calf presentation typically will deliver her baby within 1 hour after starting stage 2. And a healthy cow? 22 minutes. That’s not to say that it can’t take longer but keep this in mind when checking on the progression of the delivery.

Stage 3: Delivery of the placenta. The placenta should be shed within 8-12 hours post-calf delivery. If you notice retained placenta, do NOT pull on it. Monitor and contact your veterinarian who can work with you to decide the best next steps.

12/05/2025

We have some very exciting news to share: We have teamed up with Tsolum Mobile Veterinary Health .ca to offer on-call services!! 🎉 We will be alternating call with Tsolum so that the farming community is covered in case of emergencies. If you need to get ahold of a veterinarian after hours please call either our number (250-733-1339) or Tsolum (778-428-2540) to be directed to our answering service who will contact the veterinarian on call. We are committed to supporting our farming community on Vancouver Island