Nelson Road Veterinary Clinic

07/21/2026

Curated by Smartbrief. Dogs see the world differently than humans do, with dichromatic vision that allows them to distinguish blue and yellow but not red and green, according to the VCA Animal Hospitals. Dogs are good at detecting movement and seeing in low light, but their vision is not as s...

07/03/2026

HEAT STOKE AND HEAT STRESS

Heat stress causes heat stroke. When the heat index reaches over 105 animals and people it can cause exhaustion, cramps, heat and sunstroke. If the air temperature is 85 degrees and the humidity is 80%, the heat index will be 99. Raising the air temperature 10 degrees F. will result in the heat index climbing to 113. A heat index over 130 is a very dangerous situation. In a closed car with an outside temperature of 72 degrees F, the temperature inside can rise 40 degrees F higher within an hour.
Pigs and dogs are very sensitive to heat because they do not sweat as much as other animals. Livestock in areas where heat stroke is possible should always have access to water and shelter from the sun. Dogs which have reduced nasal airway capacity, medically called brachycelphalic (i.e. bulldog type breeds), hypothyroid dogs, obese and older patients have more problems tolerating the heat. The brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome is more common in the English bulldogs, pugs and Boston terriers; these dogs have stenotic nares, elongated soft palates, everted laryngeal saccules and/or everted tonsils. Should you ever take the temperature of an animal, and it is over 106 degrees then first start pouring water on this patient, before calling the veterinarian. Any patient with a temperature of 107 degrees should have alcohol sprayed or lightly poured over their body, if possible; this is the magic temperature that heat stroke is starting to occur, damage to tissues can possibly occur and medical treatment is needed. Alcohol evaporates much quicker and removes heat faster than water. Once you have run out of isopropyl alcohol, or even ethyl alcohol over 40 proof (i.e. vodka), then start using water. Cool down a hot animal until they are 103 degrees F re**al temperature, and then reduce the amount of water or alcohol rinses in order to not drop the body's temperature to below normal. If one cools down an animal too quickly and to a below normal temperature you may cause the patient to go into shock and thus we do not recommend ice water baths. Ice and ice packs are ok if you do not have any water available. After the initial wetting down/alcohol application use the air conditioner in the car on your wat to taking the patient into the veterinarian. We realize that water is usually quicker to find and start using than to wait until someone can run to the nearest store for rubbing alcohol. It should be noted that sheep and goats can normally have a temperature of 104 degrees during the day in summer, and birds can normally have a re**al temperature of 103-108 degrees. Birds and any other animals should be misted with a spray of water if they are showing signs of heat, such as spread out wings in a bird. Cattle that have been on fescue grass can easily develop heat stroke, due to a mold causing the body to not regulate its temperature very well. There are many other causes for a patient to have a high temperature, which can range from systemic infections to toxins to other poisonings affecting the body. We recommend blood tests with heat stroke patients for many reasons. Hypoglycemia, seizures, malignant hyperthermia, exercise induced collapse and other underlying problems can present as a recumbent patient with hyperthermia, especially in hot weather. A dog with malignant hyperthermia is rigid, while an exercise induced collapse in Labrador retrievers will have a flaccid muscle, and yet a similar Collie Collapse disorder has all 4 legs as stiffness. In livestock there are other medical conditions to consider such as anhidrosis in horses to fescue grass issues with cattle.
If any animal is in the hot weather, appears to have rigid muscles, an increased respiratory rate, salivation, an outstretched neck and/or weakness you should make an attempt to reduce the core temperature of the animal until veterinary care can arrive and/or you can transport. If under 104 degrees F. the animal should be placed in the shade and watered down. Giving too much water to drink at once can cause problems, especially in pigs. If the body temperature is greater than 105 degrees, a call to the veterinarian is indicated. Animals with a body temperature of 106 degrees Fahrenheit or greater should be examined as they can have a total body break down called disseminated intravascular coagulation occur later on. Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) can then cause a brain problem; many strokes and shock can usually be prevented with an exam, tests and medicines before the collapse occurs. If the clotting factors are low and/or if the animal has had a serve hyperthermia there is an IV treatment with plasma which is indicated if available. With initial treatment some animals may even require a cold water e***a, while other species such as horses and pigs we do not give routinely give e***as to.
IV fluids and medicines are usually needed for animals that have a temperature over 106-107 and appear distressed; each species is treated differently. If in doubt with small animals we will recommend hospitalization, blood tests and IV fluids to prevent kidney problems and DIC from occurring. In many species from birds to pigs if there is dehydration then a hypernataremia (salt toxicity) can occur, along with a secondary acidosis and other problems. There are other causes for hyperthermia for which we have a handout for. Heat stroke and dehydration have similar signs as water toxicity which is seen mostly in humans and a low sodium level is seen on blood tests.
A pulse rate over 65 indicates a problem if horses are undergoing possible heat stress. Rectally take the temperature of all animals if you feel they may be sick and/or hot. Because of the design of an animal’s ear, the ear thermometers are not as accurate (but better than nothing if you do not have any re**al or oral thermometer to use re**ally). Shock, intestinal shut down, muscle weakness and other signs indicate a possible heat stroke. Once the animal has been watered down then call the veterinarian, as there are drugs which may be indicated.
If the heat index is over 120 your horse should be cooled down if he appears hot. When watering a horse wipe the water off your horse if possible, as this is more effective than just spraying the horse. A small amount of water left against the skin can cause the cooler water to run off the patient before the water can cool him down; this minor loss of efficiency is probably only important in a down animal. Ensure you do not develop heat stroke by going out and preventatively treating your horse if he looks okay. A horse in the summer can easily require 5-6 gallons of water a day, and he needs at least this much more if he is undergoing only a few hours of endurance. Endurance horses should also be provided electrolytes when undergoing trials; the average horse with a brown mineral salt block available does not need daily electrolytes when on pasture or in the barn. In our area we recommend fans and/or the portable misting fans (swamp coolers) if possible, in hot barns on extremely hot days. Any horse that has anhidrosis, or inability to sweat, should be tested for a low thyroid condition.
Dehydration and heat stroke/heat stress go hand in hand. Compared to 70 degrees F livestock will required 2.5x the amount of water at 95 degrees F. Always ensure water is adequate and present twice a day in very hot weather. Stressed and high strung animals do not tolerate heat stress very easily. A good vaccination program, parasite and fly control programs helps to reduce the stress and animal loss during hot weather.
If an animal has been without water you need to SLOWLY rehydrate them, especially if it is a pig. For a pig you give a cup of water per 100 # every 30 minutes or so, as they are very, very sensitive to water deprivation and the concerns if rehydrated too quickly. For a 1000 # livestock this can be a gallon every 1/2 hour. Rehydrating an animal too quickly can cause seizures and death. Within 6 hours the animals should be rehydrated and more can be added at a time for pigs and after 10 gallons in adult livestock they can have water ad lib. We have a separate handout on this “salt toxicity” (lack of water) in pigs.
To help reduce heat stress one should provide shade or shelter if possible. Water sprinklers may help those livestock in confinement; especially with night sprinkling. If you feed less than 1/3 of the ration early in the morning, and 2/3+ near dark this can also help reduce activity during the heat of the day for livestock in confinement; feeding before night also helps reduce internal fermentation heat products within the herbivore's body during the daytime. Switching from a dark colored bedding to a lighter colored bedding or straw also helps somewhat. For non-milking adult livestock and horses feeding only once at night time is adequate. Always have adequate water available, especially if the animal is outside in hot weather. If you have a pig that has been without water for more than a couple hours, only provide a small amount of water (1 to 2 cups/100 # every 30+ minutes to 1 hour) to avoid salt toxicity and seizures. Fans do help to keep animal from overheating by evaporation of any sweat on the patient. A ceiling fan should blow down in the summer (up in the winter if in a closed room). We have more information on large fans, dairy barns, feedlots, etc.. For the range cattle heat shades need to be durable if on pasture (i.e. StrobelShades.com). A Quonset type hut can be used for summer and winter if adequate air flow in the summer, yet plastic and fabric will not hold up. Dairy barn-like awnings are also cost effective in some areas for shade and rain. There are no great products that are portable and will last for shade and to prevent heat stress. Our handout for cold livestock lists also the buldign and shades for heat.
If you are out for a walk and you yourself cannot hold your hand onto the asphalt or pavement for 5 seconds without it being too hot, then you probably should not be walking your dog at this time. Instead of boots consider instead waiting until it is cooler. Blowing a fan over a bowl of water towards a dog can help somewhat and if an evaporative cooler is used 5-15 degrees F the temperature can be reduced.
When one drives with their pet in a car, and the pet is not restrained, on a hot day it is tempting to have the windows down. Even if only the driver’s side is down we see many dogs that jump out of the open window anytime to go chase a squirrel they see, etc. It is true that if the car is sitting you especially want to crack the window, but as with driving not enough to allow an escape. When driving keep the windows up if the pet is not restrained.

www.NelsonRoadVet.com

Veterinarian Longmont, Colorado | Small and large animals | Dogs, cats, livestock, exotics | Preventative care, dentistry, surgery, acupuncture, ultrasound, in-house laboratory, pharmacy, farm calls, pet boarding.

06/15/2026

Rabbits and Tularemia in our area

This week a case of rabbit tularemia was diagnosed near Berthoud. This is a disease that is enzootic to our area, and it does appear every few years in various animals and people. Tularemia is a disease that can affect 250+ animal species, yet mostly rabbits, sheep and humans make up many of the cases diagnosed. It is caused by Francisella tularensis, a bacterium similar to Brucellosis. The only suggestion that tularemia is in the area is seeing rabbit die offs. To the west of us some of the prairie dog colonies we have noticed apparently have a reduction in numbers recently in more than just a few locations. Should prairie dogs be dying off we are also in an area of plague which every 6-10 years a colony will go through such a die off. Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (RHD) is yet another disease also in our area. If you are having rabbits dying in your yard then a call to the local health department is indicated. Visually we cannot tell the difference between a death from bubonic plaque, tularemia or in a rabbit RHD as all are acute deaths.
If you live near Berthoud the only practical thing to do is tick control as it is ticks that carry and transmit tularemia between animals (or to humans). If you have sheep and you find ticks on them their tick species can carry this disease from sheep to sheep, and up to 15% of the lambs may die. This tick concern in sheep is actually for every year as the western United States is endemic to tularemia.
Tuluremia is usually transmitted to humans by wood ticks, and less frequently by deer flies other insect bites (mosquitoes and rarely fleas), lice, animal bites, drinking contaminated water or inhaling contaminated dust. The virulent type A can have a 5% mortality in humans who do not receive treatment. The type B is less pathogenic, found in water or aquatic animals, and can survive months in a wet environment. Heat and most disinfectants easily kill this bacterium. When skinning a rabbit, hunters should routinely wear gloves. IF inside a rabbit one finds white specs of scar-like tissue inside the body, especially the liver and sometimes the spleen, lungs or the muscle tissue then properly discard this rabbit, and do not even feed it to the dogs. These white spots are pus nodules of Tularemia.
Signs of Tularemia include sores and ulcers near the insect bite. If infected meat is eaten then the lymph glands near the head and neck become infected. Should your dog or cat chew on an infected rabbit there can be an atypical mouth infection that develops. Vomiting and diarrhea are signs can also occur if the bacteria are ingested. Pneumonia can be the signs if tularemia is inhaled. Depending upon the route of infection, the patient develops a high fever and generalized sickness within 1-10 days.
For outdoor housed pet rabbits the application of the dog/cat Frontline flea/tick spot-on is lethal to rabbits. Revolution, Advantage II or Advocate labeled for cats/kittens can be used on rabbits if there is an outbreak and you have outdoor rabbits. Should your pet be exposed to dead rabbit and then you or they develop red spots this can be the early signs of Tularemia and a call to the veterinarian is indicated for your pet, especially if there is a high fever/temperature over 103 F that develops. The average pet rabbit in-doors in our area does not need flea control yet we do recommend the Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease vaccine, and topical tick products if house or allowed outside
Since it is a gram-negative coccobacillus the routine antibiotics such as amoxicillin and penicillin will not treat this disease yet there are many antibiotics available to treat tularemia. There is no commercially available vaccine for tularemia. Tick control for the Dermacentor and/or Amblyomma species is essential for preventing sheep outbreaks. For your own concern if there are rabbits found dead for no apparent reason, used a shovel and bag to dispose of the body; and in a tularemia outbreak consider wearing a mask and long sleeve shirt when lawn mowing this area where the dead rabbit was found. For 99.9% of the time such lawn mowing procedures are not indicated to try to prevent this disease if there is not a local outbreak. For sheep in areas with an active Tularemia outbreak nearby we do advise the long acting permethrins even if you do not find ticks yet the disease is nearby. For sheep we carry a dilute formula to prevent an overdose and can leave outside for afterhours pick up for active clients.
If you find a colorful tick go to www.TickEncounter.org and if an Asian Longhorn tick or a Lone Start tick these are of great concern and please call us as these would be new ticks to the area. .

NelsonRoadVet.com

How to stay safe from ticks when playing in the leaves

06/09/2026

Thank you for voting us as #1. We have never solicited or asked clients to vote in such contests as we are not a marketing clinic. The Staff at the Nelson Road Veterinary Clinic

06/04/2026

6/4/2026

Screwworms

This week screwworms have been found in some goats and cattle in South Texas. Due to our control efforts they probably will not get up into our area. In the 1970s’ when we had screwworms in our area we did not have avermectin products and similar dewormer/insecticides nor many options for the systemic pour on products. Most of the organophosphate treatments used then have been replaced by safter and more effective products. Most cases of new diseases anywhere where there is a “jump” of a hundred miles or more are usually from animals transported into the area with animals returning home and/or recently purchased elsewhere. Until it gets into our area the routine biting insect control methods are adequate to keep down the population.
If concerned about screwworms we recommend the permethrin systemic pour ons for fly control until it is known that the screwworm is in the area. If within a couple of hundred miles then the injectable doramectin can be given before the livestock go out onto pasture, especially cattle. If/when there is an outbreak the FDA may authorize the use of ivermectin to be daily feed to cattle and susceptible livestock (yaks, sheep, goats). As of 2025 the approved FDA prevention/treatment of screwworms (Cochliomyia hominivorax) is the injectable Dectomax-CA1 which we will use if/when needed. This injectable will last up to 21 days but does require a chute to give the 11 ml/1000 # livestock SQ. It should be noted that to have an FDA approval the company needs to pay for a trial, and almost all products we do recommend and rely on FDA approval yet other products may be just as adequate in their use (i.e for fly control prevention pour on Dectomax is a good product). Newborn livestock, animals with diarrhea, wounds or recent surgical procedures are at risk for screwworms and maggots. Yet screwworms do not rely on wounds which makes it more difficult to control as the flies lay their eggs on another nearby animal. We see maggots in open wounds routinely in the summer, yet screwworms are found hidden under the skin in a swelling and only a small hole that looks infected. In our area grubs/bot flies can look very similar yet with Cochliomyia there are multiple larvae moving about. For fly control the pour on permethrins (last 2-4 weeks), moxidectin pour on (7 days) and doramectin pour (7 days) and maybe the ivermectin pour on for lice (up to 28 days for lice yet we feel 1 week is an ivermectin length of action for flies, etc). All of these are adequate until the screwworm cases are within 100 miles of the premises. It should be noted that the avermectin products were developed for internal and external/lice parasite treatments. Powders and sprays for fly control are not adequate (unless it is the 7.4-10% permethrin pour-on which lasts longer, and we do have quart bottles with sprayers for small producers and horses). Spot-ons for equine preventive use is adequate yet screwworms in horses and pets are rare compared to livestock/cattle. Dogs can be given an oral isoxazoline product that will kill screwworms 24 hours later.
As noted many of the distant outbreaks of screwworms are usually a result of animals traveling to an area with screwworms and then returning home. Livestock and all animals including pets are a concern for being affected and thus if you do travel and/or just returned and are concerned please contact the clinic. Apply these systemic products before traveling to an infected area and again before coming home if over 2-3 weeks the animals are in that area (i.e. Texas at this time). If you find larvae inside a hole and the flies look like blowflies then call us or at minimum before treating the wound collect some larvae in a zip lock bag and refrigerate until they are brought into the clinic.
IF screwworms are diagnosed in cattle there is the Dectomectin (Dextomaz-CA1) injecton, the pour on fulalaner (Exolt Cattle-CA1). In dogs and cats there is the chewable lotilaner (Credilio Quattro-CA1). There is also an F10 would spray that we have which is approved for screwworm treatment but not for treating cats or dogs.

Veterinarian Longmont, Colorado | Small and large animals | Dogs, cats, livestock, exotics | Preventative care, dentistry, surgery, acupuncture, ultrasound, in-house laboratory, pharmacy, farm calls, pet boarding.

05/19/2026

Cytauxzoonosis Disease / Bob Cat Fever in Colorado

Cytauxzoon is a parasite transmitted to cats by a tick bite. Since bobcats can have this disease the Dermancentor tick can transmit the disease to a domestic cat. Other wild cats can also develop the disease; Bobcat Fever is such a name for Cytauxzoonosis disease since bobcats are a natural reservoir. On a blood smear we may see intracellular signet-ring-shaped organisms, indicating an infection of cytauxzoonosis. Cytauxzoon infections can also be called Theileria since it is a piroplama type of red blood cell parasite. Babesiosis and priorplama are similar diseases in other animal species. Cytauxzoonosis diseases is now classified as a Babesia parasite.
It is a rare disease in our area yet in 2026 the Denver area started to see a few cases. Indiana to the Atlantic coast and Texas and Missouri/Kansas are areas commonly known to have this disease. The signs of Cytauxzoon are not feeling well and a high fever of unknown origin. When a CBC is performed we may notice the parasite in the red blood cell and the macrophage in about 50% of the affected cats. A low white blood cell count may be seen early in the disease. Anemia, increased in liver and kidney enzymes may also be found on blood tests. Babesia and other parasites of the red blood cell can appear similar in sickness signs. Anemia, icterus, fever, weakness, an enlarged liver or spleen can be observed with any parasite which affects the blood cells. As the disease progresses the Cytauxzoon in the macrophages enlarge and literally plug up the blood vessels causing bleeding disorders.
There is no quick, specific blood test for cytauxzoonosis. Besides testing for Cytauzoonosis we also recommend testing for FeLv, FIP, FIV, Mycoplasmosis (Hemobartonella) and maybe ehrlichiosis as all of these diseases have similar signs and are more common in our area. With any anemia autoimmune and other diseases need to be considered, yet fortunately autoimmune diseases are rare in cats. A needle biopsy of the spleen, liver or a lymph node may be needed to see the parasite and diagnose the disease.
Treatment with atavaquone + azithromycin, imidocarb or diminazine, and other supportive products is indicated after the diagnosis. With treatment using antibiotics and anti-malarial drugs, expect only a 50-60% success rate. There is a severe strain of this disease which has no treatment. Most cats will die from this disease. There is also another strain which has a lower death rate.
Prevention of tick bites is the main approach to keeping your cat from obtaining this disease. The American Dog Tick, the Lone Start Tick and other ticks can carry this disease. Some products labeled for dogs are toxic to cats. We are fortunate that we do not have many ticks in our area and/or the Cytauxzoonosis disease. Most of our local indoor cats do not need flea and tick prevention. The majority of the cats we see with this disease have been east or south of Kansas or Oklahoma.
In summary it is a rare disease and there are many other more common problems causing sickness in the cats with the same signs. If your cat goes outdoors tick prevention is recommended not just for Cytauzoonosis disease but the more common Tularemia and bubonic plague which are in our area we all need to be aware of.

NelsonRoadVet.com

05/15/2026

Vesicular Stomatitis in Colorado

In southwestern Colorado we have already had a horse diagnosed for Vesicular Stomatitis (VS) and exposure came up from Arizona where there are positive cases. VS appears in our area every 6-10 years. In the last couple of decades in the United States we have had outbreaks in 1982, 1989, 1995, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019 and in 2020. There is neither an approved vaccine for vesicular stomatitis (VS), nor a provisional emergency vaccine available like we had in the mid 1990's. The use of a vaccine will cause a positive test if this animal undergoes a future blood test.
Right now there is nothing you need to do except to start with fly control, for which we have a lot more info on if requested. The houseflies are just starting and the “stinky bags and jars” are to be considered. It is not the house flies but the biting flies that mostly transmits this virus. You can also start now with the BT products in wet areas where gnats and mosquitoes breed, and later add on the feed IGR products for face flies when these start to appear. The fly predators also do help somewhat. With Vesicular Stomatitis the very young horses and the very old horses are usually affected first, and then cattle, sheep and other species. VS can also affect humans. When you start to notice a lot of biting insects then the systemic insecticide products help the most to prevent bites.
For horses we recommend the 7.4% Permectrin which comes with a sprayer for this long acting oil based product. Apply 1/2-1 oz of this every 10-14 days near dark as any similar oil product applied during mid-day can cause a skin type reaction in a small percentage for animals, especially horses, as a result of the direct sunlight. This product is also labeled for livestock and we can set it outside for after hours pick up for currently active clints if you call during business hours. We also have a 10% solution pour on for cattle and a 1% pour on for goats and sheep. Water based sprays last less than 12 hours and when you consider the cost versus percentage of product the pour ons used as a spray are cost effective for small acreage owner. With the gnats transferring the virus they love to bite the inguinal area, chest, lower legs for which the 7.4% spray works the best for horses. For gnats bothering the ears we have Boston Round bottles available to spot onto the ears and other areas.
For cattle and other livestock over 350 # we advise the 10% permethrin pour on which is $15 for an 8 oz bottle if you have only a few head. To use at 1/2 oz per 1000 # every 2 weeks. We also have 32 oz and larger sizes. This and other products may be labeled for up to 4 weeks yet in such an outbreak yet these pour-ons may not last as long as they say during such a VS outbreak (pyrethrins to cyflurthrin product labels may say 2-4 weeks). There are also ear tags in cattle which last up to 5 months, and are indicated if you have a chute and they are on pasture. Read the label as some of the organophosphate products cannot be used on some species of cattle (bos indicus, etc).
These cattle fly tags can be used on some horse halters if the horse wears the halter and/or the tag can be woven into their mane. There is also a concentrated solution of Permethrin II, which will make up to 50 gallons of a spray for

Veterinarian Longmont, Colorado | Small and large animals | Dogs, cats, livestock, exotics | Preventative care, dentistry, surgery, acupuncture, ultrasound, in-house laboratory, pharmacy, farm calls, pet boarding.