CAHSS Podcast Series - Animal Health Insights

Ticks are becoming increasingly common in Canada; posing a variety of disease threats to animal and human health. This scientist and tick expert provides an update on ticks of concern, tick-borne disease risks, and shares some highlights and cringe-worthy tales from the day-to-day life of a tick specialist.

There are many tick species, and they each can carry and potentially spread a mind-numbing number of disease conditions to us, our pets, and our livestock. Luckily there are experts in both the veterinary and human medical realm who actively research and monitor these pesky vectors and help to alert professionals in practice to emerging disease threats.

Dr. Robbin Lindsay and his research team have been actively involved in tick surveillance across Canada for several decades and generate critical data related to geographic range of vector ticks and tick-borne disease prevalence with the Public Health Agency of Canada, in the Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens section of the National Microbiology Laboratory. Dr. Lindsay is an expert in all things tick-related, and he shares information on current and emerging ticks and tick-borne pathogens, the evolution of tick-surveillance in Canada, and some ways to minimize these risks for both ourselves and our animals.

Links of Interest: 

• www.etick.ca

Infectious disease enters a barn the same way you do.. through the door! This poultry veterinarian shares how a few extra steps can change the movement of pathogens into farms and lower disease risk. 

When veterinarians discuss disease prevention, they often talk about the importance of excellent biosecurity practices. Biosecurity refers to the protective measures put in place to minimize the chance that any infectious pathogen, such as a virus or bacteria, can make it’s way from the outside of the farm to the inside of the barn; infecting a herd or a flock. In the face of an emerging disease or other disease threat, veterinarians will emphasize that producers should work to increase biosecurity measures. Sometimes, it can be difficult to imagine how these biosecurity changes may actually impact animal health - since some of the measures seem so simple and common sense. 

Dr. Geneviève Huard, a poultry veterinarian and researcher, worked on a project that provides visual evidence of how pathogens can move into our barn facilities, and shows what we can do to keep pathogens outside the barn.

Links of Interest:

• Poultry Production, Penn State Extension

Les maladies infectieuses entrent dans un bâtiment d’élevage de la même façon que nous: en passant par la porte! Cette vétérinaire avicole explique comment réduire le risque de maladies en adoptant certains comportements pour réduire le mouvement des agents pathogènes dans les bâtiments d’élevage.

Face à une éclosion de maladie, les vétérinaires recommandent aux éleveurs de rehausser leurs mesures de biosécurité. La biosécurité fait référence aux mesures de protection mises en place pour réduire le risque qu’un agent pathogène tel qu’un virus ou une bactérie entre dans un bâtiment d’élevage et contamine un troupeau.  Certaines de ces mesures sont tellement simples qu’il peut être difficile d’imaginer l’ampleur de l’impact positif qu’elles peuvent avoir sur la santé animale.

Quand les vétérinaires parlent de prévention des maladies, ils mentionnent souvent l’importance d’appliquer d’excellentes mesures de biosécurité. La biosécurité fait référence aux mesures de protection mises en place pour réduire le risque qu’un agent pathogène tel qu’un virus ou une bactérie entre dans un bâtiment d’élevage pour contaminer un troupeau. Face à une éclosion de maladie, les vétérinaires recommandent aux éleveurs de rehausser leurs mesures de biosécurité. Certains de ces changements sont tellement simples qu’il peut être difficile d’imaginer l’ampleur de l’impact qu’ils peuvent avoir sur la santé animale.

Dre Geneviève Huard, vétérinaire avicole et chercheure, a travaillé sur un projet qui illustre comment les agents pathogènes peuvent entrer dans un bâtiment d’élevage et quoi faire pour les garder à l’extérieur.

Liens d’intérêt :

• Gouvernement du Canada, Biosecurité

A veterinarian reveals newly identified biosecurity-related risk factors for introduction of respiratory disease, Johne's disease, and calf diarrhea into beef cow-calf herds in Western Canada.

Biosecurity is one tool that veterinarians and producers use to minimize the chance of any disease exposure to animals on farm, but it is a broad group of principles that can seem difficult to implement correctly in all farming situations. While some disease risks are shared across species, different animals and management systems also have some unique biosecurity factors. Dr. Trent Wennekamp, a veterinarian from Lloydminster, Alberta, and a graduate student in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, researched biosecurity practices on cow-calf farms in Western Canada. Dr. Wennekamp uncovered some key biosecurity-related disease risk factors for cow-calf herds, and his work emphasizes just how important biosecurity principles can be to the health of calves and cattle.

Links of Interest:

• Biosecurity and bovine respiratory disease on beef operations in western Canada, Dr. Trent R. Wennekamp

Good barn ventilation goes a long way to support the respiratory health of ruminants. An agricultural engineer and a large-animal veterinarian explain why ventilation is so important for animal health, and share simple barn improvements to minimize disease.

For animals that are dealing with a contagious disease outbreak, true “social distancing” can be almost impossible to put in place. Veterinarians have to think creatively about all aspects of animal care, including the functionality of their housing, in order to decrease the chance that a group of animals will experience a contagious respiratory infection. Dr. Rex Crawford, a large-animal veterinarian, and Mr. Harold House, an agricultural engineer focused on livestock housing, join us to discuss how barn ventilation systems can help to improve ruminant health. From clinical presentations of respiratory disease and common indications of barn ventilation issues, to retrofits or new barn designs to maximize flock or herd health, there are a number of interesting points to consider to help improve ventilation systems for ruminant housing.

Links of Interest:

• Dairyland initiative, University of Wisconsin

Plans types - Aménagment de bâtiments pour petits ruminants de boucherie, MAPAQ

Genomic testing may be the future of respiratory disease management - Dr. Cheryl Waldner outlines a project investigating use of genomic tests to gain a timely pen-level risk assessment, allow for targeted use of antibiotics, and improve the health of feedlot cattle.

Diagnostic tests for respiratory disease are similar in both veterinary and human medicine, and many Canadians have now experienced the naso-pharyngeal swab procedure as part of COVID-19 testing. A common frustration when diagnosing bacterial respiratory infections in veterinary medicine is that sick patients need treatment before diagnostic test results are available. A new research project is underway to investigate how cutting-edge genomic testing can help to guide prudent medication selection, improve time to diagnosis and develop diagnostic strategies to improve calf health in feedlots. Dr. Cheryl Waldner, the NSERC/BCRC Research chair and lead investigator for Genomic Assets in Livestock at the University of Saskatchewan, reviews highlights of this investigation, and shares how this work may assist in the global battle against antimicrobial resistance.

Links of Interest:

Genomic ASSETS ((Antimicrobial Stewardship Systems from Evidence-Based Treatment Strategies) for Livestock Research Project page

More information on Dr. Waldner and her work at the University of Saskatchewan

Photo credit: Christina Weese

An infectious disease specialist and a veterinary epidemiologist discuss zoonotic disease risks and the benefits of integrating a One Health approach to veterinary and human medical practice.

The recent pandemic highlights the risks associated with animal - human disease transmission (zoonosis). Dr. Martha Fulford, a medical doctor and specialist in Infectious Diseases from McMaster University, and Dr. Jane Parmley, a veterinary epidemiologist and associate professor in the Department of Population Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, join us to discuss the importance of zoonosis to the current medical landscape, the variety of ways that veterinarians and medical doctors discuss zoonotic diseases with their clients and patients, and how a One Health approach to medicine can help us to meet future disease challenges.

Links of Interest:

• Centre for Disease Control Information on Zoonotic Diseases 

Plan stratégique 2020-2025 pour consultation des membres du Système canadien de surveillance de la santé animale

Charte pour consultation des membres du Système canadien de surveillance de la santé animale

Governance charter for consultation with Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System members