Veterinary Check-Ups Keep
Cam Healthy

To keep Cam the Ram, the official mascot of Colorado State University, in shape for all of his celebrity appearances, the Livestock Medicine and Surgery service at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital performs regular wellness examinations, assessing Cam from horn tips to tail.

To check that Cam appears to be free of infectious and communicable diseases and is otherwise healthy, the service does the following:

• Look at his eyes and nose to make sure they are clean and clear.
• Look in his mouth for ulcers or other oral lesions.
• Look at his feet for any lesions and trim hooves if needed.
• Check for lice in his wool.
• Listen to his heart and lungs.
• Check his temperature.
• Check his legs and joints for soreness or swelling since he spends a lot of time on concrete and other hard surfaces.
• Check his scrotum, testicles, and prepuce since he is a breeding ram.
• Do a fecal examination periodically to be sure he is free of internal parasites.
• Weigh him to make sure he isn't getting too chubby or skinny.
• Perform a physical examination over his entire body to check for lumps, bumps, cuts, scabs, and sore spots.
• Draw blood for tests if he is going out of state. These tests vary based on his destination and are often required to grant the proper health and travel certificates.
• Once a year Cam, is sheared to keep him cool during the summer.
• If Cam gets hurt or injured, we attend to these issues accordingly.

Cam not only needs to be in tip-top shape to ensure his longevity and quality of life, but also to serve as a stunning model for his clothes, which are made in-house by Marci Stille and Jenny Harding.

This is an example of how, at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, our care doesn't stop in the treatment room (even if your animal isn't quite as big of a celebrity as Cam).

For more information about Cam, read about his History and Follow Cam on Twitter.