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 […]
Continue ReadingHow Apocalypses Are Born
We are going to step back from the normal informational post and test your foreign animal disease (FAD) knowledge. This post’s onus stems from my recent trip to Plum Island Animal Disease Center. I was struck by each disease’s clinical signs, and how easily I would have mis-diagnosed a FAD in practice.
Continue ReadingOptional Goat Vaccines
One of my all-time favorite TV shows is Frasier from the ’90s. In one episode, Frasier’s brother Niles reminds us of the axiom, “Less is more,” to which Frasier quips, “Yes but if ‘less is more,’ think how much more, more would be!” In our last podcast, we discussed the importance of rabies vaccines in […]
Continue ReadingFoot and Mouth Disease
Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease of over 70 species of wild and domestic cloven-hoofed mammals. From the OIE Technical Disease Cards, the early signs include “vesicles on the tongue, dental pad, buccal mucosa, cheeks, gums, hard and soft palate, nostrils, muzzle, feet, corium of dewclaws, interdigital spaces, or teats”. […]
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