Welcome to the AzVMA Members Section

The mission of the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association is to promote excellence in veterinary medicine by providing a forum for the veterinary community to address issues in relation to education, legislation and public information through active involvement of its members.

Links on this page:

Revisiting Brucellosis as a Zoonosis RB51 Vaccine Exposures & Brucella canis

National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues (NCVEI) interactive tools

Josh and Friends program

Website Links for Scientific Information for Veterinarians

Rabies Update / AZ Game & Fish Dept. Press Release-6-5-07

Canine Influenza Fact Sheet

Compare your practice to others 
in the industry/NCVEI link

Give a little, get a lot. That's what countless vets have done by logging in to the Exam Room, a set of FREE online interactive tools developed by The National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues (NCVEI). 
Just enter a little data about your practice and get back straightforward, easy-to-understand results that let you compare your practice with others in the industry - no bulky volumes to sift through. The Exam Room provides concise real time data about your practice, and can help you do things like improve profits, change unproductive habits, and increase the quality of patient care...all in an effort to help you develop a more prosperous practice.

Seeing is believing, and it costs you nothing.
Go to www.ncvei.org and click on the Exam Room link.

Scientific Information Links for Veterinarians

CDC's Zoonotic Diseases Information website: http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/ 

National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians Compendium on Veterinary Infection Control
provides standardized national recommendations for key zoonotic disease issues http://www.nasphv.org/documentsCompendia.html 

Arizona Department of Health: www.azdhs.gov 
ADH Office of Infectious Disease Services: West Nile Virus Prevention in Arizona

Revisiting Brucellosis as a Zoonosis
RB51 Vaccine Exposures & Brucella canis
By Jennifer Martin , MPH & Elisabeth Lawaczeck, DVM

  As part of a Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) project, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) is conducting enhanced surveillance for human brucellosis cases and increasing awareness concerning brucellosis through education.  Most human brucellosis cases in the U.S. are contracted through consumption of non-pasteurized dairy products or direct contact with infected livestock in other countries, including Mexico . 

  Large animal veterinarians can also be exposed to the live attenuated strain of brucellosis vaccine (RB51) for cattle through needle sticks or mucous membrane splashes.  Veterinarians who accidentally expose themselves to the RB51 vaccine can report this to ADHS for guidance on serologic monitoring and prophylactic antimicrobials. 

Although the U.S. is free of brucellosis in cattle and goats, Mexico and some other countries are not; thus people that consume non-pasteurized milk products outside of the U.S. are at risk of contracting brucellosis. Veterinarians are encouraged to educate their clients concerning this risk, as well as educating them on the risk of contracting other dangerous bacteria through the consumption of non-pasteurized milk products from any source.

To report exposures to the RB51 vaccine for cattle, call the Vector-Borne & Zoonotic Disease Program, ADHS, at 602-364-4562.

Pet owners can also become infected with brucellosis from their dogs.  In 2005 a pet owner was diagnosed with Brucella canis through blood culture.  She denied consuming non-pasteurized dairy products and the only livestock with which she had contact were horses.  She had several intact dogs, with some limited success in breeding some of the animals.  Blood was collected from seven of her dogs, one of which was positive on culture for B. canis.  A case report summary on this case with further details is being submitted to a new journal Zoonoses and Public Health.

Due to the confirmed case of B. canis in a pet owner, lacking data on the incidence of B. canis, and the enhanced surveillance for human cases, ADHS has posted Q & A sheets on Brucella canis for veterinarians and owners.  The frequently asked questions for veterinarians discuss the epidemiology of B. canis and provide suggestions for testing and prevention.  If you have diagnosed or are highly suspicious of Brucella canis in a dog, we suggest you educate the owner on this zoonosis.  The Q & A sheet for owners may be a useful tool for educating your client.  If the owner responds that they do have symptoms that may be consistent with brucellosis, then the owner should visit their healthcare provider for evaluation.  Lastly, if you are a veterinarian with symptoms consistent with brucellosis after exposure to the cattle brucellosis vaccine RB51 (needle stick or exposure to mucous membranes), you should also seek evaluation by a healthcare provider.

The Q & A sheets on B. canis can be viewed on the ADHS website at:

http://azdhs.gov/phs/oids/vector/bruc/bruc.htm.  For questions or comments on this article, please call the Vector-Borne & Zoonotic Disease Program, ADHS, at 602-364-4562.

Rabies Update / AZ Game & Fish Dept. Press Release -(6-5-07)
As of June 5, 2007, the Arizona State Health Laboratory has confirmed rabies infection in 46 animals in 2007. The 46 animals include 18 bats, 17 foxes, 7 skunks, 3 bobcats, and one coyote. Different areas of Arizona are experiencing fox rabies epizootics. The fox rabies epizootic in northern Greenlee County continues, with 8 lab confirmed rabid fox so far this year, but multiple other incidents reported and decomposed carcasses found in the area. A coyote, 8 miles north of Globe, tested positive as well. Variant typing is pending on the coyote, but public health officials suspect the coyote was infected with the Arizona gray fox variant of rabies.

 
Pima County Health Department
Contact: Patti Woodcock, (520) 243-7701
Public Information Officer, PCHD

Arizona Game and Fish Department
Contact: Rory Aikens, (602) 789-3214
Public Information Officer, AGFD

NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release June 5, 2007

PHOENIX – Two incidents involving rabid animals have occurred in the Ajo vicinity within the past week. 

At 3 a.m. Sunday, June 3, a man was attacked by a bobcat and suffered multiple bite wounds. The man, with the aid of a friend, was able to subdue and kill the attacking bobcat. The Arizona Department of Health Services confirmed on Monday, June 4 that the bobcat was rabid. Both men are currently undergoing rabies treatment.

In another incident that occurred late Saturday night, another individual encountered a bobcat and was scratched. The distance between the two bobcat incidents was approximately 1.5 miles and they occurred approximately three hours apart. The animal from the first incident was not captured and it is unknown if the two incidents involved the same animal. 

Also on May 30, a homeowner in Ajo was confronted by an aggressive gray fox. The homeowner went indoors and called the animal control officer, who responded and was able to capture the fox in the residence’s garage. The fox tested positive for rabies.

In Arizona , rabies most commonly occurs in bats, skunks and foxes, but any mammal can contract the disease. Rabid animals may show unusual behavior or appear unstable. Rabid carnivores, such as skunks, foxes, bobcats, coyotes, dogs and cats, may become aggressive and may attempt to bite people, pets and livestock. Wild animals exhibiting unusual behavior should be reported to local animal control officials.

Examples of unusual behavior include: wild animals that show no fear of people and pets; nocturnal animals that are active during daylight hours; and bats found on the ground, in swimming pools or that have been caught by a pet.

The Pima County Health Department and the Arizona Game and Fish Department recommend the following precautions:

·         Keep people and pets away from wild animals. Do not pick up, touch, or feed wild or unfamiliar animals, especially sick or wounded ones. If someone has been bitten or scratched, or has had contact with the animal, report it immediately to animal control or health officials.

·         Do not “rescue” seemingly abandoned young wild animals. Usually, the mother will return. If the mother is dead or has not returned in a reasonable time frame (usually several hours), call the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

·         Vaccinate all dogs and cats against rabies. Pets should be kept in a fenced yard.

·         Take precautions when camping, hunting or fishing. Avoid sleeping on the open ground without the protection of a closed tent or camper. Keep pets on a leash and do not allow them to wander.

·         Do not disturb roosting bats. If you find a bat on the ground, don’t touch it. Report the bat and its location to your local animal control officer or health department. Place a box over the bat to contain it. Be careful not to damage the bat in any way since it must be intact for rabies testing.

For more information about rabies, call your local health department or the Arizona Department of Health Services, Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Disease Section, at (602) 364-4562.

Canine Influenza Fact Sheet for Veterinarians - 09/28/05

Adapted from a Veterinary Advisory from the University of Florida , College of Veterinary Medicine

CANINE INFLUENZA VIRUS (Canine Flu)

SITUATION:  In a recent article in the journal Science, “Transmission of Equine Influenza Virus to Dogs”, researchers from colleges of veterinary medicine at universities in Florida , Texas , Wisconsin , at Cornell and Auburn , and scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported results from investigations of outbreaks of a respiratory disease which has been linked to canine influenza virus.  Authors report that the virus isolated from greyhounds in Florida is “an influenza A H3N virus closely related to contemporary equine influenza viruses”.  The article reports that greyhounds on racing tracks in Florida, Kansas, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Arizona, have tested positive for this canine influenza on serology, and that pet dogs in Florida and New York have also tested positive on serology.  The greyhounds from Arizona in this study were from a track in Tucson , which were under quarantine by the Arizona Racing Commission. This highly contagious virus is a newly emerging respiratory pathogen in dogs and causes a clinical syndrome that mimics “kennel cough.” Canine influenza virus infections are frequently mistaken for infections due to the Bordetella bronchiseptica/parainfluenza virus complex.   Of note, no evidence of H3N8 virus has been found in humans, despite its presence in horses for over 40 years.

CLINICAL SIGNS: Because this is a newly emerging pathogen, all dogs, regardless of breed or age, are susceptible to infection and have no naturally acquired or vaccine-induced immunity. Virtually 100 percent of exposed dogs become infected. Nearly 80 percent have clinical signs. There are two general clinical syndromes – the milder syndrome and a more severe pneumonia syndrome. The milder disease syndrome occurs in most dogs.

In the milder disease, the most common clinical sign is a cough that persists for 10 to 21 days despite therapy with antibiotics and cough suppressants. Most dogs have a soft, moist cough, while others have a dry cough similar to that induced by Bordetella bronchiseptica/parainfluenza virus infection. Many dogs have purulent nasal discharge and a low-grade fever. The nasal discharge likely represents a secondary bacterial infection that quickly resolves with treatment with a broad-spectrum, bactericidal antibiotic.

Some dogs develop a more severe disease with clinical signs of pneumonia, such as a high fever (104⁰F to 106⁰F) and increased respiratory rate and effort. Thoracic radiographs may show consolidation of lung lobes. Dogs with pneumonia often have a secondary bacterial infection and have responded best to a combination of broad-spectrum, bactericidal antibiotics and maintenance of hydration with intravenous fluid therapy.  Fatal cases of pneumonia have been documented, but the fatality rate so far is low, at 1 percent to 5 percent.

INCUBATION/SHEDDING PERIOD: The incubation period is two to five days after exposure before clinical signs appear. Infected dogs may shed virus for seven to 10 days from the initial day of clinical signs. Nearly 20 percent of infected dogs will not display clinical signs and become the silent shedders and spreaders of the infection.

DIAGNOSIS:   As stated on the Cornell Animal Health Diagnostic Center’s website:  “While it may be difficult to differentiate canine influenza virus infections from traditional kennel cough agents for an individual dog, the situation in groups of dogs is more distinct. As mentioned earlier, virtually all dogs are susceptible regardless of age or vaccination history. Infection rates in kennels may reach 100% with clinical signs in 75% of dogs.”

Current diagnostic tests rely on detection of antibodies to canine influenza virus, which are detected as early as seven days after onset of clinical signs. Paired acute and convalescent serum samples are necessary for diagnosis of recent infection. The convalescent sample is collected at least two weeks after the acute sample. There are many situations in which collection of an acute sample is not feasible. In this case, testing of a convalescent sample will indicate whether the dog was infected at some time in the past.

In addition to serology, the lungs and distal trachea from dogs that die of pneumonia can be tested for influenza virus by PCR analysis and virus culture. Practitioners can submit pharyngeal swabs taken from dogs at the onset of clinical signs for PCR screening.

PREVENTION: There is no vaccine for canine influenza virus at this time. This virus is spread by aerosolized respiratory secretions, contaminated inanimate objects and even by people moving back and forth between infected and uninfected dogs. This is an enveloped virus that is most likely killed by routine disinfectants, such as quaternary ammoniums and 10 percent bleach. Because the virus is highly contagious and all dogs are susceptible to infection, veterinarians, boarding facilities, shelters and pet stores should use isolation protocols for dogs that have a “kennel cough.”

WHAT VETERINARIANS CAN DO:   The Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory does not currently offer testing for canine influenza, but may in coming months.  Veterinarians with suspect cases of canine influenza can submit serum samples for antibody testing to the Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell. Paired acute and convalescent samples are preferable for confirmation of infection, while single samples collected after seven days of clinical disease are also useful.   Veterinarians may also submit fresh and fixed lung and tracheal tissues from dogs that die from suspected canine influenza pneumonia.  Practitioners can submit pharyngeal swabs taken from dogs at the onset of clinical signs.  Swabs should be placed in a sterile tube (red top vacutainer for example) with 5-6 drops of sterile saline.  Do not place swabs in bacterial transport medium.  Ship samples overnight on ice packs. Samples will initially be screened by PCR for influenza virus.  Positive samples will be processed for virus isolation.   

For more information of canine influenza laboratory testing at Cornell, visit the website:  www.diaglab.vet.cornell.edu/news.asp

            Samples should be shipped to:

            Animal Health Diagnostic Center
            College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell
            Upper Tower Road
            Ithaca , NY 14853

FOR MORE INFORMATION:   The American Veterinary Medical Association home webpage:  www.avma.org, which currently has a link to a JAVMA News Express page:  www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/oct05/x051015b.asp