Dr. Walter Branscum has cared for animals big and small for more than 43 years

Dr. Walter Branscum has been a veterinarian for practically his entire adult life.

"I've been doing this for 43 years," says Branscum, who opened Tilsit Road Animal Clinic, at 2009 County Road in Jackson, 12 years ago.

The clinic specializes in the care of small animals.

"We treat most animals," Branscum says. "We refer most reptiles somewhere else and we do a limited amount of work on pet birds. We treat some chickens and turkeys, but mostly we treat dogs, cats, lots of cattle and some swine."

Branscum says about 60 percent of the clinic's business is from small animals and the remaining 40 percent is from livestock.

Blood samples taken by Dr. Walter Branscum that will be tested for brucellosis, a bacterial infection that can be spread from animals to humans, on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016 at Butch's Angus farm in Jackson. ANDREW J. WHITAKER

The number of animals they see daily depends greatly on what types of animals they are treating.

"We probably see around 10 to 12 small animals, counting emergency calls, on a typical day," Branscum says. "But we see over 100 per day if we are working with a herd of cattle."

The animal clinic stays quite busy.

"We were basically jumping from one emergency situation to another last week," Branscum says.

His work varies from giving routine immunizations to treating for internal and external parasites to checking for breeding soundness.

Dr. Walter Branscum, 68, gets more syringes to take blood samples to test for brucellosis, a bacterial infection that can be spread from animals to humans, on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at Butch's Angus farm in Jackson.ANDREW J. WHITAKER ~ awhitaker@semissourian.com

"That's where you check to see if [the cow's] pelvis is big enough to have a calf and if the internal organs are satisfactory," he explains. "We also treat things like pneumonia, sore feet and abscesses."

Branscum shares veterinary duties at the clinic with Dr. Emily Henderson.

"She works on small animals and some livestock as well," he says.

In addition to the two veterinarians, there are four full-time and two part-time staff members at the clinic.

They prefer that animal owners make appointments, but they will accept walk-ins as well.

A cow leaves the barn after having a sample taken by Dr. Walter Branscum to test for brucellosis, a bacterial infection that can be spread from animals to humans, on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016, at Butch's Angus farm in Jackson. ANDREW J. WHITAKER

"We do take emergencies," says Branscum, who also confirms he will make house calls.

Branscum, who will turn 69 in November, did his pre-vet and veterinarian studies at Oklahoma State University and completed a food animal internship at Kansas State University.

He and his wife, Anita, have been married for 12 years, and between the two of them, they have five children and 11 grandchildren.

When Branscum is not treating and caring for animals, his favorite pastimes are ones that are spent outdoors.

"I used to hunt and fish a lot," he says. "But now gardening is my primary hobby."

Dr. Walter Branscum, 68, takes a blood sample to test for brucellosis, a bacterial infection that can be spread from animals to humans, on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at Butch's Angus farm in Jackson. Branscum, a veterinary physician in Jackson, cares for small animals along with large animals like cattle and horses.ANDREW J. WHITAKER

And the best part of his work?

"I like dealing with the delivery of calves, and giving new puppies their vaccines," he says. "Any puppy that I see, I think is cute."