VetGODescribe what happened. The veterinarian looks at photos and video, works out what is going on and writes what to do.
A horse, rabbits, a pig, a rooster — Dr. Strelkov's patients. Online the veterinarian works with the same animals from your photos and video.
I had a smallholding of my own: chickens, a goat, rabbits. I milked the goat every day and bred the rabbits. Then I went to study veterinary medicine and gradually stopped — but I never lost my love for them.
That is why I can advise and work out how to help in your situation, wherever you are: I look at it, study the literature and give my answer — from the information I receive and, above all, from my own experience.
Aleksandr Strelkov (Alex Strelkov), veterinarian
Laying hens, 25 birds, 8 months
Four have been wheezing and sneezing for three days, one died, the coop is damp
A respiratory infection in the flock against a background of damp. Infectious laryngotracheitis to be ruled out from a video of breathing.
You fill in the questionnaire and attach photos and video. The veterinarian sends the plan by email.
A fourth-generation physician, Dr. Strelkov graduated with honors from the K.I. Skryabin Veterinary Academy. Over 18 years he has treated hundreds of avian and exotic cases, co-authored peer-reviewed publications, taken part in international veterinary programs, and built a 500,000-subscriber audience sharing evidence-based bird health advice.
He kept chickens, a goat and rabbits himself and works with farm animals and poultry in person and online. In the report he looks at the animals, the housing, the feed and what has already been given, and sets out what to do for the whole flock or herd.
My goal is that you understand exactly what is happening with your animal and know precisely what to do next. I cannot promise miracles — but I will do everything modern veterinary science allows.
Dr. Aleksandr Strelkov
If there is a farm animal veterinarian in your area who can come out, call them first — and describe the case to the VetGO veterinarian too: the plan will help you both. If there is no such veterinarian nearby, the report helps you understand how urgent it is and what to ask for.
Several birds or pigs dead within a day — report to the state or national veterinary service the same day.
A swollen side in a goat, sheep or rabbit, labored breathing.
Straining without progress for more than an hour, bleeding, a retained placenta.
Bleeding, exposed bone, a bite from a dog or fox.
Most often respiratory infections (wheezing and sneezing), diarrhea and coccidiosis in young birds, leg problems (limping, bumblefoot), eye problems, feather pecking and a drop in laying. Among those dangerous to the whole flock are Newcastle disease and Marek's disease, which only vaccination protects against. From photos, video and your description the veterinarian tells you what is most likely and which treatment to discuss with your veterinarian.
Wheezing in several birds at once is almost always a flock infection, not one bird's cold. Separate the sick birds, check for damp and ventilation, count how many are sick. The whole flock is treated, and the medicine is chosen with the withdrawal time for eggs and meat in mind — prescribed by your veterinarian. The written report sets out the options for your flock.
The most common causes are teeth, too little hay, a sudden change of food, heat, and stress after a move or kindling. If a rabbit is not eating and producing no droppings, the gut stops — within a day this becomes life-threatening. See a veterinarian the same day.
Act at once, the same evening. Remove grain, offer hay and water, check for droppings. If the rabbit has not eaten for 8–12 hours or the belly is bloated, see a veterinarian who knows rabbits the same day: it most likely needs medicines and assisted feeding. The report helps you and your veterinarian with the next steps.
In a goat, refusing food most often means the rumen has stopped: too much grain, bloat after lush grass or legumes, ketosis after kidding, less often a foreign object. The second group of causes is pain: mastitis, hooves, teeth. The veterinarian reviews the diet and condition and tells you what to do.
Look at the left side and the breathing: a bloated left side and labored breathing is bloat, and it is life-threatening — call a veterinarian who can come out now. If there is no bloat, remove grain, leave hay and water, take the temperature and note what the goat ate in the last few days. Then follow the plan from the consultation.
Goats refuse trampled and wet hay and cope badly with sudden feed changes. Dangerous are a lot of grain at once, wet grass after rain, large amounts of legumes, potato and tomato tops, branches of cherry and other stone fruit trees, and moldy feed. If a goat has eaten any of these and is not chewing the cud, contact a veterinarian.
In piglets and calves refusing food quickly turns into dehydration and weakness. Take the temperature, look for diarrhea, coughing and skin color, check whether the others are eating. A calf with diarrhea is given electrolytes in small portions until the veterinarian arrives. With this information the online veterinarian assesses urgency and tells you what to do until then.
Many smallholding questions can be worked through remotely: the veterinarian looks at photos of the animals and housing and at video, asks about feed and water, and writes a plan for your flock or herd. Medicines for food-producing animals are prescribed by a local veterinarian, who also sets withdrawal times; the plan helps you both. Bloat, difficult births, several deaths and injuries need hands on site.
Yes. Attach lab results, post-mortem findings and photos in the questionnaire after payment, at no extra cost.
No. If several birds or pigs have died within a day, report it the same day to your state or national veterinary service: this is how avian influenza and African swine fever are ruled out. The online veterinarian can help with the rest of the flock or herd before and after their visit.
The report arrives within 24 hours of submitting the questionnaire. With bloat, a difficult birth or several deaths, call a veterinarian who can come out first.
No, the consultation is written. If the veterinarian needs to see something, he will ask you for photos or video.
Who is sick, how many animals and for how long. The veterinarian asks for the rest.
Describe what is wrongAnimal photos: chickens — Alabama Extension (CC0); rabbits — USDA (public domain); lamb — H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0; piglets — Scott Bauer, USDA (public domain); calf — Ranjithkumar Murugesan (CC0); goose and duck — T100Timlen (CC0). Other photos are from the doctor's practice.
