OAHN Update December 2015
Ontario Animal Health Network
"Your comprehensive source for animal health information"
OAHN is happy to announce that all 10 animal networks are now active! Welcome to the family companion animal network!!
Other items of note this quarter:
· We had a very successful 3rd Annual Meeting of the Disease Surveillance Plan on Oct. 1, which saw private vets and industry members work with OMAFRA, OVC, AHL, and other government members to form an action plan for the network’s coming year.
· Each OAHN network is invited to submit a project proposal to address a gap in surveillance (budget $50,000 per network). Deadline is December 1st. If you have ideas, contact your OAHN network members from your species group today.
· We continue to put out 2 podcasts per month. Check out titles here: www.oahn.podbean.com
· We continue to share disease alerts, scholarly articles, client friendly animal health news on our website, and through our Facebook and Twitter accounts (@OntAnHealthNet).
The Q3 2015 veterinary survey was completed and the quarterly conference call occurred at the end of October. Look out for the veterinary and producer reports on the SRVO listserv and on OAHN.ca . Top items of discussion were: Bluetongue surveillance by OAHN, upcoming captive bolt lab with industry, a recent case of ovine adenocarcinoma in Quebec, and fewer cases of hemonchosis this year.
The OAHN Fish Network had its 4th quarterly conference call in October. The group is working towards submitting their project proposal, and discussed pertinent fish disease issues in ONT.
The OAHN bovine network had its Q2 quarterly call in September. The report outlined recent findings of Salmonella Dublin in Quebec and resources for practitioners, as well as an increased number of IBRV cases. The next call will be in early January 2016. Look for the survey invite in the coming weeks.
The bee network will be meeting before the end of December 2015 to summarize the year’s disease events. Stay tuned for further information.
The OAHN swine network completed its Q3 2015 veterinary survey and had its quarterly conference call in October. Look out for the swine veterinary report and producer report to be published on OASV listserv and on OAHN.ca in the coming month.
The Q3 equine veterinary and owner reports were released to the OAEP listserv and posted on OAHN.ca in November. The top concerns discussed during the Q3 conference call were: increased diarrhea cases in Eastern Ontario, and fevers of unknown origin. Some veterinarians reported fewer equine strangles cases compared to the same quarter last year, and reported neuro disease cases were lower this year. Antimicrobial resistance information from AHL is referenced in the report, and is further detailed in the AHL newsletter. AHL, IDEXX, and the Ontario Racing Commission contributed data.
The OAHN alternative species network held its first conference call in July, with mink veterinarians discussing important issues with experts in the field. Main points of discussion for the call involved astrovirus and nursing sickness. To be added to the list for future calls, email oahn@uoguelph.ca.
The OAHN Poultry Network had its Q4 conference call in November. The Q3 2015 (May/June/July) meeting took place in September, and the producer report is available on OAHN.ca. Top issues for discussion during the Q3 conference call included: white chick syndrome, coccidiosis, necrotic enteritis, bacterial and fungal infections. OMAFRA, OVC, the AHL, and OAHN started a small flock disease surveillance project on Oct. 1, which includes subsidized testing for non-commercial poultry owners. An OAHN representative presented at OAPV meetings in September and November.
The Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative released a report on wildlife disease surveillance in the late fall of 2015.
The OAHN companion animal network had its first quarterly conference call to discuss quarterly survey results in October. Disease issues discussed included a public health/OMAFRA update on Echinococcus multilocularis cases, as well as the recent respiratory disease outbreaks in dogs in Orangeville and other parts of the province. Stay tuned for the veterinary report in the next month.