Veterinary Services
Dr. John H. Berends
The Latest Equine Veterinary
Updates From Dr. Berends:
- Fall Vaccination Reminder - Remember to recheck pregnant mares and remember to give pregnant mares their rhino shots to help avoid abortion - call the office to get updated recommendations
- Dr. Berends has posted a new News Letter, please go to the News Letter page to view it. If you would like new News Letter to be sent to your email, subscribe to the Equine Veterinary News Letter.
- Dr. Berends is pleased to announce the purchse of a state of the art, digital x-ray system! This x-ray system gives you the availability to view your horse's x-rays before Dr. Berends leaves your farm. It also allows for x-rays to be e-mailed or a CD to be sent to other veterinarians for a second opinion or in the case of pre-purchase examinations. Call the office for further information.
- Post your testimonials of Dr. John Berends here.
John H. Berends, DVM
Dr. John H. Berends graduated from Michigan
State University’s school of veterinary medicine in 1978. Prior
to that time, Dr. Berends earned his Master’s degree from Central
Michigan University in education. While attending CMU, John was awarded
a Rhodes scholarship, played four years on CMU’s national finalist
varsity basketball team and earned All-American status. He was the player/coach
of the Grand Rapids Tackers semi-professional basketball team during
the early 1970’s, and also taught high school advanced math and
coached high school varsity basketball, prior to returning to veterinary
school. In 1997, John was given the extreme honor of being inducted
into CMU’s athletic Hall of Fame. After graduating from veterinary school, Dr.
Berends was the partner in charge of the equine portion of a muli –
veterinarian practice in southwest Michigan. At this time, Dr. Berends
was one of the first equine practitioners to begin using a portable
ultra sound to diagnose pregnancies in mares, while on the client’s
farm, and to be allowed to inseminate mares with frozen semen sent from
Europe. John was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer in 1991,
and resigned from that practice to undergo surgery and chemo-therapy
on his left femur. After a successful treatment for bone cancer, John
began his own equine specialty veterinary practice where his focus has
been on providing the best possible care for horses in this area, at
an affordable price. The cane he uses to walk, is a result of the surgery,
but he says it hasn’t slowed him down, just made him practice
veterinary medicine in a smarter way. Dr. Berends took a three year leave of absence
from private practice to assume a newly created position offered to
him by MSU. His official title was equine veterinary specialist where
he oversaw the day to day veterinary duties of running Merillat Equine
Faciltiy (owned by MSU) as the equine, veterinary reproductive specialist,
he acted as an equine extension specialist for MSU’s school of
Animal Science, and was on the faculty of MSU’s school of veterinary
medicine. Due to financial cutbacks by the state of Michigan, MSU decided
to close the Merillat facility, and Dr. Berends resumed his role as
private equine practitioner by offering his services to you, Michigan’s
equine owning public, through Equi-Ventures Farm and his veterinary
practice.
Today, Dr. John Berends is a full service equine
veterinarian – specializing in equine reproduction. He is licensed
in Michigan and Georgia, and is an adjunct professor at MSU’s
school of veterinary medicine. Dr. Berends’ practice offers 24
hour emergency coverage, and appointments can be made by calling (269)
795-4430. For more contact information click here.
