Update from the Director

The University of Guelph campus is quite beautiful after the first major snowfall of the season, but eerily quiet due to the absence of students under COVID restrictions.  As cases continue to increase during this second wave, it is proving to be a challenge to maintain staffing levels, as is likely the situation in your organizations as well.  Any contact with a suspect or positive COVID case necessitates a 14-day period of self-isolation, and due to increasing community spread, the number of potentially exposed staff also continues to grow.  We thank you for your patience if you experience delays in testing associated with reduced staff levels in a particular laboratory section. 

In addition to all the great case reports and lab updates that comprise every AHL newsletter, we have started a new column entitled “Staff highlights”.  So many of our staff are involved in interesting and important initiatives that are allied with laboratory management or that support national and international veterinary organizations.  For this inaugural column, we are featuring Dr. Melanie Barham, the Co-ordinator of the Ontario Animal Health Network.  To fulfill the research requirements of her MBA program, Dr. Barham decided to investigate veterinary career paths and the reasons for remaining in or leaving the profession.  The results will be of interest to practice owners concerned about retention of veterinarians in their organization, and to veterinarians contemplating a career shift.

From all of us at AHL to you and your families, we send our very best wishes for continued health and safety, and some measure of respite and happiness during the holiday season.

Maria Spinato, Director

Animal Health Laboratory, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON.