Upper Grand Veterinary Services
7707 Mill Road N1H 6J1 Guelph, ON, Canada

Timely advice for calving season.

Before starting this post it is important to let everyone know we take Covid precautions very seriously. Megan Jamieson self isolated 2 weeks before coming to the office and I had a negative Covid test and always wear a mask except to take a video and pictures of Megan’s very special day I was honoured to be asked by Megan to present her with her white coat. Although this is not a ceremony I remember from OVC I think Michigan vet school has a great idea to commemorate arriv...al at the clinical portion of vet school. Megan sent me the following explanation of this rite of passage at MSU. The White Coat Transition Ceremony is a rite of passage for third year veterinary students that celebrates the transition from the didactic to the final clinical phase of veterinary education. It marks a significant point in a veterinary student’s career where it is time to put the past 3 years of classroom learning into practice. During the ceremony, each student is coated with a white lab coat by a special mentor, family member, loved one, etc. of the student’s choosing. Receiving the white coat is symbolic of medical professionalism and acknowledges that the student is no longer a veterinary student, but now a student veterinarian. Normally this ceremony is shared with family, friends, mentors, and faculty. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year though, the white coat transition ceremony for the Class of 2022 will be held virtually.

Thrilled to post an update from one of our clients. Howard Carey Carelea Farms Inc Elora On Dec 24 /2020 I'm thankful too - I'm thankful that I can call Upper Grand Vet last Sat at noon and have Dr Rob in the barn in 30 min attending to a 2nd calf purebred black angus who was carrying a big ugly calf that had been dead for 2 days or more with no notion of getting rid of it on her own . What would follow was 2 hrs worth of thinkin on your feet along with extreme ability at ...times extreme strength and thruout extreme patience . In 52 yrs in the cattle business we've had a no of vets thru the barn - for some to outperform was normal and last Sat was up there with the best of the best . Thankyou Rob and Merry Covid Christmas. P.S. Mom is doing very well would appear is thru with med support discharged RP today and in 5 days has not missed a meal ! See more

Attitude is everything! Warning long sappy post ahead! While I could be grumbling about a busy weekend on call with 2 fetotomies on dead rotten calves there are a couple reasons to be positive and thankful.... I was reminded of this by the client when he looked up and laughed and said At least I don’t have to feed a newborn calf today. Sometimes they can be difficult. Gallows humour for sure but I truly appreciate people that can take a terrible dark situation and find a way to lighten the moment. I have had several mentors show me the power of positive thinking mixed with a touch of humour. Instead of bellyaching about being gone all day yesterday and having two terrible calvings that required a lot of effort at the time as well as cleanup I am reminded of all the things I am thankful for. I am thankful for disposable plastic gloves. I am thankful for a clean dry place to work at both farms. Well lit pens with animal owners eager to lend a hand. I am thankful for warm water and soap. I am thankful for a truck that is reliable and full of fuel to get me to these farms. I am thankful for clients. I am thankful for the food they produce and the work they put into it. I am thankful for clean dry roads. I am thankful for the education that allows me to help both producers and their animals. I am thankful for all the people who have mentored me. I am thankful for a loving family with a warm fireplace to go home to. I am thankful for associates and staff that make work something to look forward to and lighten the load. I am thankful for a wife who understands the challenges of this profession. I am thankful to live in a country that is affluent enough to take good care of animals and people. I am thankful for Clearly I can go on and on. The way we think about our lives and our purpose changes everything. Have a great day!

Relatively busy day running the roads today but thanks to the generosity of clients and staff I am keeping my caffeine and sugar levels high enough This is the time of year society thinks about helping others but one of the best parts of being a large animal veterinarian is the feeling we get after each call knowing we’ve helped both our patient as well as it’s owner.

All farmers are important but historically the women of agriculture went unnoticed or worse yet were dismissed. Thankfully we find an increasing awareness of the contribution women in agriculture make. Although this post comes a day late we would like to give an especially big thank you to all the rural women involved with agriculture.

So much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. *warning-long winded, sappy post ahead* Thankful as always for the peace and the bounty of this land. ... Thankful to the producers who grow and harvest our food as well as the truckers, processors and retailers who help get it to our table. While on call this weekend, I got to spend some ‘windshield time’ thinking about how thankful I am to our clients who not only play a big part in the food chain but who have helped create this thriving vet practice. (I just remembered it has been 10 Years since I started this practice. More on that in future posts). I feel privileged to have a job where I look forward every day to visiting the people I work for. The hard work, determination and intelligence that goes into their successful businesses inspires me to do the best in my own profession. I am grateful for those share their wisdom so freely with me. I am also extremely thankful to the people who work side-by-side with me in this business to help it grow and succeed every day. I couldn’t do it without my work family. It is so great to be part of a friendly, dynamic team filled with integrity. And of course the reason I posted this is to thank most of all my family. Without whose understanding all of this would be impossible. This weekend draws our attention to all the many blessings we have to be thankful for. Let us not forget them the other 364 days of the year.

What an honour to be asked to talk to vet students at the Ontario veterinary college yesterday. I’m not sure we had a pain management club when I was there but what a great idea! It was a good opportunity to talk to them about the trust society puts in us, as well as farmers, to ensure the highest quality of health and welfare for the animals who in turn give to us in order to sustain our life style. However I really miss the days of being able to look a group in the eye to know what they were thinking. It was my first experience giving a presentation remotely. I have a new understanding of what teachers and profs have to deal with. So difficult! I felt like a crazy old man rambling on for an hour with no real way of gauging the audience. (A glimpse into my future perhaps )