Google’s parent company Alphabet has attracted some attention recently base on its request to release up to 32 million mosquitoes in Florida and California. No, it’s not part of a master plan to annoy people or spread disease. Believe it or not, it’s actually an effective method to reduce mosquitoes and the risk of
H5N1 Influenza Antibodies in a Cow, The Netherlands
A few months ago, there was a cluster of kittens from a dairy goat farm in the Netherlands that likely all died from H5N1 influenza (only one kitten was tested). That wasn’t too surprising since the H5N1 virus is circulating in wild birds internationally, and we know that cats are highly susceptible to the
Antimicrobial Use in Animals: When More Might Be Better
That headline might get some people worked up, but hopefully they’ll read the whole post before firing off an angry email.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a huge problem in humans and animals, which means we need to improve or optimize how we use antimicrobials, but this is not synonymous with reducing use. Most of the
Fur Farming: FVE / FECAVA / WSAVA Position Statement
The mention of fur farming can evoke some pretty strong reactions from some people, but this industry largely flies under the radar most of the time. The industry itself is dying out in much of the world, as people turn away from raising animals solely for their coats, but large numbers of animals are still
H5N1 Influenza at an Animal Sanctuary, British Columbia
Hot on the heels of the H5N1 influenza in ostriches debacle in BC comes a reported outbreak of H5N1 influenza at an animal sanctuary in the same province. The sanctuary (Critteraid Animal Sanctuary) is not one I’ve ever heard of before, but based on their website, it looks like a good operation
New World Screwworm: Primer for Canadian Veterinarians
I remember the first case of fly myiasis (aka fly strike, maggot infestation) in general practice. I was a very new grad called to look at a lamb owned by someone who had a few sheep. The complaint was that the lamb wasn’t doing well. It was laying down when I arrived and I grabbed
H5N1 Influenza in a Sheep
When it comes to food safety risks with H5N1 influenza, we know it’s a problem with raw (unpasteurized) milk from cattle, so I often get asked if it’s a concern with milk from other animals, such as goat’s milk. It’s a good question. My typical response has been that we really don’t know. There haven’t
H5N1 Influenza Exposure of Dairy Veterinarians
I think it’s fair to say H5N1 becoming seemingly endemic in US dairy cattle in the past year caught us off guard. The virus has spread widely within and between US dairy herds, has caused mild infections in a number of people in close contact with infected cows, has killed a lot of cats on
Culling Considerations in Disease Outbreak Response: Take 2
My post earlier this week about culling considerations for control of disease outbreaks in animals generated some good discussion and ideas (and a surprisingly small number of “you’re an idiot” emails). Although that post was focused primarily on culling in response to influenza outbreaks, we can also think about it little more broadly
To Cull or Not to Cull: Managing H5N1 in an Era of Endemicity
The recent situation has raised more discussion about the role of mass culling in response to H5N1 influenza infection in domestic / captive birds. After H5N1 flu was identified on an ostrich farm in British Columbia, the CFIA ordered all 400 birds to be culled, but the owner is trying to find options to preserve