Amanda Wagner herds a set of goat horns into a stanchion at a farm in Allen County.
The rural veterinarian is performing an ultrasound on Nala: a shaggy goat that tap dances nervously as Wagner probes her hairy belly.
“So you see these C-shaped things?” Wagner points at the ultrasound screen. “That’s mom's attachment to the baby. It tells us she's pregnant.”
Rob Morgan, owner of the fidgety farm animal, has long awaited this check-up. When he first sought a vet from a nearby county, they were too busy to help.
“When I called them up they said they were waiting on medicine and that was a year ago or so, he said. “I just didn't even call them back.”
Agriculture is one of the state’s top industries. And while weather, labor and soil health all contribute to success on the farm, there’s another, often unseen force that keeps livestock producers in business: veterinarians like Wagner.
For years, they have been in short supply in rural areas across the country. Now, Ohio is investing nearly $30 million over the next two years to grow their presence.
Ohio State University’s Protect OHIO program will focus on recruiting more small town vets to fill the gaps.
Rural areas in need
The USDA considers Allen County, where Morgan lives, a private practice veterinarian shortage area – one of 10 in the state. Nearly a third of Ohio is underserved by vets.
That’s because the economics are difficult in small towns. People like Morgan need veterinarians, but many rural areas don’t have enough animal patients to sustain a full-time practice.
“They couldn't afford to pay us what we would need to make just to make a decent living,” Wagner explained.
Instead, vets like Wagner have to zig zag across county lines to help wean calves and dole out vaccinations. Oftentimes, owners of sick livestock have to load their large animals in a trailer and travel for care – which can be costly for families and risky for animals.
Wagner said it’s been happening more frequently in recent years.
“We’re getting calls from people farther and farther away,” she said.
Protecting the state
Last fall, Ohio State University launched Protect OHIO – a state-funded program devoted to reversing the trend. Rustin Moore, dean of Ohio State University’s college of veterinary medicine, said the state couldn’t wait much longer for a solution.
“It's not a new concept or a new problem. It's been there, but it's only getting worse,” Moore said.
It’s critical, Moore said, because rural vets monitor disease threats in livestock. Veterinarians are the first line of defense against animal-borne illnesses, like bird flu or COVID-19, that have big implications for humans.
“If it's one of those infectious diseases that could spread to people or even wipe out a whole flock or herd of animals, we really need veterinarians on the ground in those communities,” he said.
Building a pipeline
To combat the shortages, OSU believes recruitment is key.
Protect OHIO promises to enroll 35 more students per class year in OSU’s veterinary college. They are reaching out to high schools, FFA advisors and community officials to recruit students who live in small towns with an interest in animal care.
Rob Morgan’s son, Noah, is among them. After raising hogs, chickens and now goats, the high school sophomore wants to help families like his own by becoming a veterinarian.
“It would just be really great for there to be more availability in places that need it, especially here in the Lima area,” Noah said.
Addressing the barriers
Student loans average around $170,000 for veterinary school – and that’s not counting undergraduate costs, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Protect OHIO hopes to offset some of that debt, through scholarships. Moore said they offered $900,000 in scholarships last fall and are educating students about loan forgiveness opportunities for vets who set up small-town practices.
But, in Moore’s view, education isn’t enough: The program is also conducting town halls across the state to understand what support vets need after they get their degree.
“How does the community support them when they come back after graduation? Financially, do they provide a clinic for them to work out of? Do they provide [the vet] with an ambulatory vehicle that’s stocked?,” he said.
It doesn’t matter how far you may live from a farm, Moore believes investing in rural veterinarians is a statewide responsibility.
“We have to do this together.”
