BY SHARON BIGGS WALLER
JENOCHE/SHUTTERSTOCK
A veterinarian is the first person you consult when an animal needs medical care, but if your vet is unavailable or can’t get to your farm in time, the care of the animal falls to you. As daunting as it might seem, it’s perfectly fine to administer medications yourself, and doing so can even save you money on vet visits. We talked to a couple of experts to get some advice on what’s available over the counter; how to give an injection; withholding time for meat, milk and eggs; and what to do if your farm is organic. Jonathan Townsend, D.V.M., Ph.D., is the director of extension programs at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, and Matt Shane is the district extension director at Michigan State University.