When Sandusky, Ohio, veterinarian Dr. Michael E. Metroka commemorated his practice's 75th anniversary in February, he had reasons to believe it might be the nation's oldest that has operated continuously "within the same four walls."

Relief of acute and chronic pain in animals is an important part of the practice of veterinary medicine. Human pain medications frequently are used in small-animal and equine practice. However, food-animal practitioners must follow the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA), which limits extra-label drug use to treatment when an animal's health is threatened, it is suffering or death might result from failure to treat.

Food-animal practitioners commonly perform local-anesthetic techniques due to the dangers associated with general anesthesia. Local anesthetic techniques usually are simple, cheap and have relatively few side effects. Unless otherwise stated, "local anesthetic agent" refers to lidocaine or carbocaine. It is preferable to clip the hair and perform a surgical prep of the site before anesthetic agents are injected, particularly those injected deep into tissues.

Last night I received a phone call from the doctor who provides routine veterinary services to a dairy herd where I do the ration balancing. This herd is experiencing some problems with fresh cows, and the doctor performed some blood testing in an attempt to obtain clues regarding the cause of these problems. The blood work revealed moderately low albumin levels in most of the six dry cows he tested. This suggests low protein intake.

Disease prevention in beef herds is essential if a producer wants to be profitable. Most diseases, once we finally see them, have been smoldering in a herd for months and have been eating potential income. Avoidance is crucial because many common diseases have no treatment.

The wife of one of my dairy clients recently refused to buy milk from a local convenient store.

Watch out for plant toxicity during drought conditions.

The image of the pebble cast into the pond sending a ring of small waves in all directions is indicative of the impact that rising energy costs have had on all facets of our society.

Nutrition problems, and chronic parasitism should be ruled out first.