Where passion for animals, science, and medicine lives…
In our last podcast, we introduced our listeners to the basics of farmed Pacific white shrimp. But, with any commercial livestock operation comes increased risk of disease. The first disease we discussed was infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV). First reported this year, IHHNV was not the first shrimp FAD to occur in the […]
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When we discuss foreign animal diseases, we usually think of mammals, with the occasional bird outbreak. But, in the field of veterinary medicine, we treat all species. Texas has extremely varied geographic terrain, allowing many different species to call this home. Farmed Pacific white shrimp offers a sustainable source of fresh shrimp to many areas […]
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Who of you can resist dipping your toes in an inviting lake or pond on a hot summer day? Even dogs appreciate the fun and relaxation that comes with swimming and wading in water. Hidden in that water are many toxins, some produced from harmful algal blooms. We will cover the most common ones here.
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Clean water is the key to maintaining any civilization. John Snow is credited with linking a cholera epidemic to contaminated drinking water in 1855. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), diarrheal diseases (such as cholera) kill more children than AIDS, malaria, and measles combined, making diarrheal disease the second leading cause […]
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Imagine a beautiful summer evening. You are sitting in your chair, listening to the birds and watching deer move in. Such a peaceful, serene, relaxing evening. Now, imagine the same idyllic scene with no deer. North American cervids are at risk of epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV). As an Orbivirus, family Reoviridae, it comes as […]
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The US is currently battling another foreign animal disease outbreak. Last week, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) was identified in two horses in south Texas and one in New Mexico. Summer breezes bring vectors up from Mexico. With low mortality, our greatest concern with VSV is its resemblance to important foreign animal diseases (FADs) like foot […]
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If you prefer to listen to podcasts, feel free to play the audio version of this blog by clicking on the player above. Podcast: AnthraxLength: 4:22 minutesWritten and read by the author
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It’s springtime again, and you should already have your mare booked to a stallion. If you have a Quarter Horse, you have the advantage of being able to utilize artificial insemination. If you choose live cover, there are a few infectious diseases you should be concerned about. One foreign animal disease (FAD) to remember is […]
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Peste des petits ruminants. While it is French, it is not something fancy that you would want to receive as a gift from your beloved. It is commonly referred to as sheep plague or goat plague and is decimating the small ruminate population in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The most recent outbreak has […]
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What is a fomite, you might be wondering? Is it a thing? A place, a condition, or a person? It can actually be three of these things. A fomite is an object that can be contaminated with a bacteria, virus, or prion, and be a source of infection to other animals.
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