Three Peaks Veterinary Services

05/02/2026

🐾 Kitten Season is Here! What Should You Do If You Find Kittens? 🐾

Spring and summer bring an influx of kittens, and while they may look abandoned, that’s not always the case. Knowing what to do can save lives! 💛

🐱 First, Pause and Observe!
If the kittens look clean, quiet, and tucked away, their mom is likely nearby. Mother cats often leave to find food and will return.
➡️ Watch from a distance for a few hours before intervening.

⚠️ Important: Kittens NEED Their Mom!
Very young kittens have a high rate of death if separated from their mother too early. Mom provides warmth, nutrition, and immune support that we simply cannot fully replace. Removing them too soon can unintentionally put them at serious risk.

🍼 If They Are Truly Alone

If the kittens are:

Crying constantly
Cold or weak
Dirty or covered in fleas
In immediate danger

Then they may need help right away.

❗ DO NOT give cow’s milk, this can make them very sick.

📞 Call Us First!
Before picking them up, contact Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Animal Control at 209-694-2730. We can guide you on the best next steps and help ensure the kittens get proper care.

🏠 If You Must Intervene

Keep them warm (a towel and heating pad on low works well). Handle minimally to reduce stress

Do not attempt to feed unless instructed

💡 Best Case Scenario
Kittens do best with their mom. If she’s around and the area is safe, leaving them in place is often the best option.

🐾 We know it’s hard to see tiny kittens and not scoop them up, but the right steps make all the difference.

📢 Share this post to help educate others during kitten season!

03/28/2026

We will have the amazing groomer, Ranay, joining our Groveland clinic to provide grooming services starting mid-April. Please give us a call at our office to schedule!! *Rabies vaccine required*
209-703-6754

03/19/2026

We will be at PMLA Equestrian Center tomorrow doing a vaccine clinic. Come booster your rabies vaccine if you haven’t already!! 9:30-3pm

03/18/2026

It’s not too late to sign up!!

RABIES WAS CONFIRMED IN OUR COUNTY!! We will have booster vaccines for dogs, cats, horses and livestock. First come first serve.

Reminder! Three Peaks Vet is Here Tomorrow!

Don’t forget — Three Peaks Veterinary Services will be at the barn tomorrow!

There’s still time to get on the schedule if your horse needs anything — routine care, check-ups, or you’ve been meaning to have something looked at.

📞 Call the office to get added to the list:
1 (209) 962-8667

01/01/2026

February is National Pet Dental Health Month. While horses don’t "exactly" qualify as pets, this is still a good opportunity to talk about the importance of oral health for our equine friends.

Equine dentistry is not just about “floating” teeth. Dentistry is a veterinary discipline that, besides treating the mouth and teeth, also includes the associated structures of the head – for instance the sinuses – and the effect of dental diseases on the health of the rest of the body. That is why all horses should have a veterinarian perform an oral and dental examination at least annually (or more frequently based on the needs of the individual horse.)

Remember: just because your horse is not showing any obvious symptoms of dental disease, it does not automatically mean that all is well with your animal's oral health. Horses simply adapt to their discomfort and most horses with dental problems will show no noticeable signs at all, until the disease is a serious source of pain and infection that can affect the animal’s overall health.

Give us a call to schedule! (209) 703-0654

11/20/2025

11/13/2025

We are seeing a lot of this lately in our area. Here is some more information about it!

Pigeon Fever, caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, is a fly-borne disease that’s becoming increasingly common across the U.S. Once mostly seen on the West Coast, it’s now emerging in southern and eastern states.

🔍 How It Spreads:
Flies play a major role in transmission, carrying the bacteria (which originally lives in the soil) from draining abscesses or contaminated soil to other horses. Infection can occur through:

• Flies landing on open wounds or scrapes
• Contact with contaminated dirt or pus
• Direct contact with an infected horse

⚠️ Signs to Watch For:
Pigeon Fever can show up in several ways:

1️⃣ External Abscesses (most common)
• Swelling, often on the chest or belly (“pigeon breast” look)
• Abscesses that rupture or drain thick pus

2️⃣ Internal Abscesses on Organs (less common but serious)
• Signs include anorexia, lethargy, weight loss, colic, pneumonia, fever, respiratory tract disease
• Require prolonged therapy and close monitoring with an overall worse prognosis

3️⃣ Lymphangitis/Vasculitis
• Swelling of the limbs (one or more can be affected)
• Inability/difficulty moving limbs
• Fever
• This form can mimic clinical signs of other conditions like cellulitis, purpura hemorrhagica, Strangles associated vasculitis, and lymphangitis

🩺 Diagnosis:
Your veterinarian can confirm the infection through:
• Bacterial culture
• SHI titer (blood test)
• PCR testing (purulent exudate, biopsy of affected tissue, internal abscess exudate)

💊 Treatment:
• Hydrotherapy
• Anti-inflammatories
• Abscess lavage and lancing
• Antimicrobials AT DIRECTION of your veterinarian

🛡️ Prevention Tips:
• Keep fly populations under control
• Isolate horses with draining abscesses
• Dispose of pus and bedding safely to reduce contamination

If you suspect your horse has Pigeon Fever, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Additional recourses:

AAEP Guidelines: https://aaep.org/resource/pigeon-fever-corynebacterium-pseudotuberculosis/

EDCC: https://www.equinediseasecc.org/pigeon-fever

10/25/2025

OPENING TUESDAY OCTOBER 28th!! Call now to book or stop by the first day to say hello and check out the full remodel!

10/01/2025

Vet Day at the Barn

Three Peaks Veterinary will be at the PMLA Equestrian Center on Monday, October 13th. This visit is open to the community and large animals are welcome. Services include dentals, x-rays, vaccines, and more.

➡️ If you’d like to get on the schedule, please call Three Peaks directly and let us know as well so we can plan ahead.

At this time, small animals should make an appointment at their new clinic located in Groveland.

PMLA Barn Office: 1 (209) 962-8667

09/30/2025

We look forward to seeing everyone soon!

09/26/2025

Great one day event for all horse owners!!

Registration for UC Davis Horse Day 2025 is OPEN!

Head on over to our website to check out what's in store at this fun and educational event and snag your tickets now! There is sure to be something for every equine enthusiast with a wide range of topics to choose from. We can't wait to see you there!

https://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/facilities/horsebarn/horse-day