Routine Health Care

The health status of each animal maintained in the VMP is monitored on a daily basis by a trained Animal Health Technician. It is also the responsibility of all VMP animal care attendants to report any abnormalities or problems that may be observed during routine daily care procedures. Animals that display signs of illness are reported to the investigator and the VMP Director. If desired, VMP will make arrangements for a member of the staff of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery to check the animal and treat it. Animals needing hospitalization may be admitted to the Large Animal Clinic by the investigator, and payment for treatment arranged at that time. If the investigator cannot be reached and the situation is deemed to be an emergency by the VMP Director, the animal will be treated and appropriate charges billed to the investigator.

All animals entering VMP must be properly identified and undergo a period of quarantine and isolation and comply with the Health Maintenance Program of VMP.

VMP Health Maintenance Program

The Animal Welfare Act and good scientific practice require that an animal used in research and teaching be in the best health possible. With these facts in mind the Veterinary Medical Park (VMP) has developed a model Health Maintenance Program for the animals most frequently maintained at VMP. The VMP Director is responsible for managing this program. The VMP Director will schedule required health maintenance procedures, keep records, distribute charges incurred appropriately and make exceptions, in consultation with the principal investigator, to the herd health program when appropriate for a particular research protocol. The only animals exempt from the program are: animals to be used immediately where health status will not affect the research, animals with appropriate documentation available showing that they have already received the necessary health maintenance procedures, and animals for research projects that would be adversely affected by some part of the program. If desired, the Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery will provide the professional expertise to administer this program and will use the animals to increase the teaching exposure that students receive. In addition, if desired, the professional staff of the Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery will provide medical care to animals identified by the VMP Director as needing treatment, either at VMP or as hospitalized patients. Arrangements for payment of charges incurred for these services will be the responsibility of the investigator.
This program will include, but not necessarily be limited to, cattle, sheep, goats, horses and swine. As listed below, this program is very brief. More detailed recommendations as provided by the staff of the Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery are available in the VMP office and will be used, as appropriate, after consultation with the principal investigator.

Horses:

Incoming animals will receive the following within the first week following arrival:

1. Negative Coggins test
2. Dental exam
3. Deworming
4. Immunizations
   1. VEW-T
   2. Rabies
   3. Flu
   4. Others as indicated

Resident animals will receive the following:

1. Negative Coggins test annually
2. Dental exam yearly
3. Deworming quarterly
4. Immunizations yearly as listed for "incoming"

Swine:

Young and growing:

1. Vaccination with erysipelas
2. Screen for internal parasites and treat as needed
3. Treatment for external parasites if indicated

Breeding:

1. Vaccination with:
   1. Erysipelas
   2. Parvovirus
   3. Six-way leptospirosis
2. Screen for internal parasites and treat as needed
3. Treatment for external parasites if indicated

Sheep and Goats:

Immunizations:

1. Enterotoxemia
2. Tetanus
3. Others as indicated

Screen for internal parasites and treat as needed

Cattle:

Immunizations to be determined by animal use but at the very minimum containing:

1. Clostridium 7 way
2. Leptospirosis 5 way
3. Brucellosis in appropriately aged heifers

Screen for internal parasites and treat as needed

Exotic Hoofed Stock:

Immunizations:

1. Clostridium 7 way
2. Leptospirosis 5 way
3. Tetanus

Internal parasites - All incoming animals are screened and treated as needed. Fecal samples from each lot are screened quarterly and groups are treated as necessary.
All animals are sheared and receive hoof maintenance as needed.

Coyotes:

Puppies :

1. Tattooed with permanent identification at 6 weeks of age.
2. Screened for internal and external parasites at 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 weeks of age and treated as indicated.
3. Vaccinated against distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza and Parvovirus (DHLP-Parvo) at 6, 9, and 12 weeks of age.
4. Vaccinated with DHLP-Parvo and rabies vaccine and treated for internal and external parasites if needed at 6 months of age.

Trapped Coyotes:

1. Receive a complete physical examination, tattooed with permanent identification number and treated for any injuries at arrival.
2. Vaccinated with DHLP-Parvo upon arrival and boosted two weeks later.
3. Wormed for internal parasites and dipped for external parasites.
4. Quarantined for 90 days and then vaccinated for rabies.

Resident Coyotes:

1. Annual DHLP-Parvo and rabies
2. Checked for internal and external parasites at least quarterly and treated as needed.
3. Treat all injuries and illness as needed.

NOTE: All TAMU personnel handling coyotes should receive a rabies series, initially, and a booster annually. If a person is injured, that person should report the injury immediately to the VMP