Countryside Veterinary Service

12/01/2025

Make sure to enter the drawing while visiting our clinic

11/27/2025

Wishing all of our clients a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Also some helpful things to keep your pets safe and healthy

Here are the most important Thanksgiving toxins to keep away from cats and dogs

🦃 Thanksgiving Foods That Are Toxic to Pets

1. Turkey Bones
• Why dangerous: They splinter easily and can cause choking, blockages, or tears in the stomach/intestines.

2. Turkey Skin & Fat Trimmings
• Why dangerous: High fat → can trigger pancreatitis, a painful and sometimes life-threatening condition.

⸻

🍇 Fruits, Veggies & Sides to Avoid

3. Onions, Garlic, Leeks, Chives (Alliums)
• Why dangerous: Cause red blood cell damage, leading to anemia in both cats and dogs.

4. Grapes & Raisins (including in stuffing, salads, desserts)
• Why dangerous: Can cause acute kidney failure, even in tiny amounts.

5. Xylitol (in sugar-free pies, baked goods, some peanut butter)
• Why dangerous: Causes a dangerous drop in blood sugar and can lead to liver failure.

6. Nutmeg (in pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes)
• Why dangerous: Contains myristicin → can cause seizures, tremors, disorientation.

7. Raw Bread Dough (with yeast)
• Why dangerous: Expands in the stomach + produces ethanol → risk of alcohol poisoning and bloating.

8. Alcohol
• Why dangerous: Pets are extremely sensitive — even small amounts can cause vomiting, tremors, or coma.

⸻

🥧 Desserts & Sweets

9. Chocolate
• Why dangerous: Contains theobromine → leads to heart issues, tremors, seizures.

10. Heavy Fatty Desserts (pies, whipped cream, butter-rich dishes)
• Why dangerous: Like turkey skin, heavy fats can cause pancreatitis.

⸻

🌰 Other Hidden Hazards

11. Macadamia Nuts
• Why dangerous: Cause weakness, tremors, vomiting — especially toxic to dogs.

12. Mushrooms (wild or unknown sources)
• Why dangerous: Some mushrooms can cause liver failure.

⸻

🥂 Bonus Danger: Holiday Décor
• Scented candles: some essential oils are toxic to cats/dogs
• Potpourri: ingestion can cause burns or stomach upset
• String lights & tinsel: especially dangerous for cats if swallowed

11/11/2025

With the holidays approaching fast, keep this in mind

Fall is a time for food & family and we want to make sure you can include your pets in your festivities while making sure they’re safe!

Here is a list of dog-safe foods you can give your furry friend this fall

11/11/2025

We too would like to thank Military Veterans for their service.

- The AVMA wants to send out a big thank you to all service members - including all the veterinary professionals and AVMA members who care for our military animals. If you’d like to show your support for veterans, you can help in two different ways:

1️⃣ By supporting the AVMA/AVMF Scholarship for Veterans – which helps military veterans pursue an education in veterinary medicine.
2️⃣ Consider a donation to American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) Veterinary Charitable Care - which awards grants that support the charitable veterinary medical care of dogs and service animals for military veterans. Visit avmf.org/Donate to learn more.

11/11/2025

Navicular Syndrome: What Horse Owners Should Know

What is it?
Navicular syndrome is a common cause of long-term (usually front) foot pain in horses. It affects the structures in the back half of the hoof, including the navicular bone, deep digital flexor tendon, navicular bursa, collateral sesamoidean ligament, and collateral sesamoidean impar ligament).

Who gets it?
It's most often seen in adult horses, especially those used for heavy work or certain breeds like Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds, and Warmbloods. Horses with very steep or very low hoof angles are also more at risk.

What are the signs?
• Lameness, usually in the front feet
• Horse may land toe-first instead of heel-first
• Lameness often gets worse when turning in circles
• Both front feet may be affected

What causes it?
• Repeated stress and strain on the navicular area
• Wear and tear on the bone and soft tissues
• Sometimes, poor hoof shape or conformation

How is it diagnosed?
Veterinarians use nerve blocks, radiographs, ultrasounds, and MRIs to pinpoint the source of pain.

How can it be managed?
Management options include special shoeing, rest, and medications. The right approach depends on the individual horse and the specific problem. Remember, what might help one horse might not help another. Overall, early diagnosis and tailored care can help many horses stay comfortable and active.

If you have questions or concerns about navicular syndrome in regard to your own equine, contact your veterinarian.

📸 Photo credit: Dr. Lori Madsen & University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine

10/29/2025

08/13/2025

As silly as it sounds, the "carrot test" can be used to help diagnose tooth aches in our equine companions.

Equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EORTH) is a dental condition that affects the incisors of middle-aged horses and older. As the name suggests, it acts by both resorbing the teeth and then producing large amounts of cementum (a hard substance that anchors the teeth into place).

Clinical signs such as difficulty chewing, teeth discoloration and painful gums are highly suspicious for this disease, but you can also offer your horse a carrot to assess how comfortable they are biting down. If it seems painful for them while biting the carrot, they could have EORTH!

Your veterinarian can do an oral examination and take dental radiographs to confirm the diagnosis. This is a progressive disease so there is no cure, but there are management strategies that can improve their comfort.

If you are concerned that your horse may have EORTH or is experiencing oral pain, contact your veterinarian so that they may further evaluate and suggest treatment options.

Thank you to the Horse Owner Education Committee for providing this information.

08/13/2025

Do you know the signs of heartworm disease in your pet?

08/04/2025

Call to schedule your pets appointment 405-258-0875

07/29/2025

Great August specials!