Lymph Nodes 101: What They Do and Why They Sometimes Swell You're giving your dog a scratch behind the ears, grooming your horse after a ride, or checking on your goats, and then you feel it: a firm lump that wasn't there before. That moment of surprise can instantly turn into worry, especially when you [...]

Glucose Curves, Home Monitoring, and Remission: The Diabetes Journey Getting a diabetes diagnosis for your pet can feel overwhelming at first. Suddenly there are insulin injections to give, feeding schedules to follow, and blood sugar numbers to track. It's a lot to take in, and it's completely normal to feel uncertain about what comes next. [...]

What to Expect From a Senior Wellness Visit (And Why It Matters) Dogs and cats age faster than we do, so big health changes can happen between yearly visits. High blood pressure, thyroid issues, arthritis, and hidden masses can progress quietly, making early screening essential. Simple tools like blood pressure checks, thyroid tests, and X-rays [...]

Uncovering Hidden Dental Disease With Pet X-Rays You know your pet needs dental care if you can see a broken tooth or inflamed gums, but what if a painful dental issue is completely invisible? It's a surprising fact that more than half of dental disease in pets is hidden beneath the gums, where you can't [...]

Antimicrobial Resistance: What It Means for Livestock Producers You want what’s best for the animals under your care, and when they are sick, reaching for an antibiotic feels like the fastest way to help them recover. But what if that treatment isn't working as well as it used to? The challenge of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is [...]

Awake Dental Cleanings: Why They Put Pets at Risk Non-anesthetic dental procedures may look effective on the surface, but they hide disease below the gumline. Without proper tools or pain control, pets remain vulnerable to infection and discomfort. Anesthesia ensures a complete and humane cleaning. At Rustebakke Veterinary Service, we understand that anesthesia concerns are [...]

Calm Cattle, Better Outcomes: Reducing Stress in Handling and Transport Stress affects everything from weight gain to immune function in beef cattle. Low-stress handling techniques, quiet movement, and proper transport conditions minimize injuries and improve performance. Managing stress is key to welfare and profitability. Whether you're hauling cattle to market, moving them between pastures, or [...]

Biosecurity Basics: Keeping Animals Healthy and Protected At Rustebakke Veterinary Service, we understand that one sick animal can quickly affect an entire herd, flock, or household. Biosecurity isn’t just for farms- it’s everyday disease prevention that matters for every animal owner. From keeping parasites out of your chicken coop to protecting your dog from contagious [...]

Feline Kidney Disease: Subtle Signs You Shouldn’t Miss Your cat is drinking from the water bowl more than usual. The litter box clumps look larger, and maybe their once-sleek coat seems a little dull. These quiet changes are easy to dismiss- but they can be the earliest signs of kidney disease, one of the most [...]

Bug-Free and Thriving: How to Keep Your Pet Parasite-Proof Finding parasites on your pet or in your home can make your skin crawl. Maybe you’ve seen small white worms in your kitten’s litter box, pulled a tick off your dog after a walk, or felt the sting of a flea bite while relaxing on your [...]