Roy Lewis

Reading Time: 3 minutes With the advent of the increasing consciousness in animal welfare, any products which can relieve pain, decrease inflammation and reduce fever are a welcome addition to the repertoire we as veterinarians have to treat clinical disease. They also may have a place in controlling post-surgical pain or inflammation such as with castration or dehorning. With […] Read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes One of the most common conditions encountered in beef cattle during summer grazing is lameness. Neither calves, cows, yearlings nor bulls are immune from developing some types of lameness. Surprisingly, many are treated even though they really don’t require much for treatment. Producers often use the all-encompassing term of foot rot, yet most lameness at […] Read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes Many of us recall that many years ago there were several combination drugs for cattle. For example, Pen-Strep or Azimycin, which were a combination of two antibiotics, a steroid and an antihistamine, all in one bottle. These products were pulled in the interests of meat safety and beef quality assurance. Today, with more thought on […] Read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes Having practised in Western Canada for over 25 years I have yet to diagnose a known case of algae poisoning. In Eastern Canada with the growing human and livestock populations surrounding water bodies there have been increasing problems, and it may only be a matter of time before the incidence increases out west. With recent […] Read more

Reading Time: 4 minutes With today’s tighter and tighter controls on residues in meat and milk, we must have the utmost responsibility how we treat our livestock. Beef Quality Assurance benefits by this, and with human antibiotic resistance increasing, we as producers must be prudent in the use of antibiotics and other drugs. This article will review some areas […] Read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes Every spring, producers end up with calves with contracted tendons (knuckling over) or the complete opposite – lax tendons where the back of the fetlock is touching the ground. Preventing these abnormalities is difficult because they are sporadic, but they can be managed successfully. Generally the knuckling over occurs in bigger raw-boned calves or weaker […] Read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes Even though we think of mastitis as more of a dairy disease, producers still need to be vigilant in their beef herds. With higher milk production and cows being retained in our herds longer, both these factors have a tendency to increase mastitis incidence. Mastitis or inflammation of the mammary gland results in swelling in […] Read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes Ringworm is a very common condition, especially in young stock, during the winter months. It is caused by several different fungi, which are fairly widespread in the environment. Generally ringworm is not a huge concern, save in two situations. Firstly, it is a zoonotic disease, meaning that humans can contract it. Secondly, it is a […] Read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes Downer cows have been a concern for farmers and veterinarians almost since the beginning of time. Typically, a downer cow surprises the farmer. Often a perfectly healthy cow with no presenting history is suddenly found down and unable to rise. Because cattle, especially mature ones, are such heavy beasts, several complications can ensue, even when […] Read more

Reading Time: 3 minutes The veterinary pharmaceutical industry has changed dramatically in the last 30 years. Like everything else in the world, pharmaceutical companies are getting bigger. Amalgamations, buyouts and takeovers have created a few very large companies, most with a vast array of products. The pharmaceutical representatives now represent a wider product line and as a result usually […] Read more