Many people are familiar with the dangers of infection with Salmonella species of bacteria. For instance, most of us know better than to eat raw cookie dough, or undercooked hamburger. However, what many people may not know, is that one … Continue reading
Obesity Management You already know how difficult it is to stay consistent with your own New Year’s resolution, but working alongside your veterinarian and utilizing the following tips to reduce your dog’s weight could have a lasting positive impact on … Continue reading
Understanding Obesity in Dogs “This will be the year I start working out again, and eating better!” If this statement sounds remotely similar to your New Year’s resolution, consider including your dog in that goal. Many studies have found anywhere … Continue reading
STOP! Have you read Zoonotic Potential of Pseudorabies Virus Series: An Emerging Threat – Part 2? Zoonotic potential of pseudorabies virus series: An Emerging Threat – Part 2 Implications and Future Research Needed: Prior to the recent case reports of human … Continue reading
STOP! Have you read Zoonotic Potential of Pseudorabies Virus Series: An Emerging Threat – Part 1? Zoonotic potential of pseudorabies virus series: An Emerging Threat – Part 1 Continue Reading: Part 2 Porcine Outbreak China is by far the world’s largest … Continue reading
There are 11 agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of which 5 are related to veterinary public health: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Center for Disease Control (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), … Continue reading
Public health is the science of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private communities, and individuals (https://www.cdcfoundation.org/what-public-health). There are 17 agencies within the United States Department … Continue reading
STOP! HAVE YOU READ? Cockfighting, Facebook, & Virulent Newcastle Disease Series | Part 2
STOP! HAVE YOU READ? Cockfighting, Facebook, & Virulent Newcastle Disease Series | Part 1
Containing an Outbreak in the Age of Social Media In mid-May 2018, virulent Newcastle disease (vND) was detected in Los Angeles County, California when a sick exhibition chicken was brought to a local veterinary clinic. Newcastle disease is an infectious … Continue reading
TNR: An Acronym for Feline Population Control This article will discuss common phrases associated with TNR programs, the process of performing TNR procedures, and some of the reasons a community may benefit from such programs. Common Terminology Trap-Neuter-Release Trap-Neuter-Return Return-to-Field … Continue reading
When reviewing a scientific paper, or attending a research presentation at a meeting, we often see p-values reported as outcomes of a research project. Although commonly used in life sciences, p-values are often misunderstood, and in some cases, can be … Continue reading
Hypothesis testing is the foundation of research. The process of developing a research hypothesis usually involves two steps: developing the broad research question, then determining the statistical alternatives that may result from testing the research question. For example, a researcher … Continue reading
Misclassification bias Misclassification bias occurs in epidemiologic investigations when the infection or exposure status of individuals is incorrectly measured due to poor diagnostic tests or incorrect assessment of exposure. This results in biased measures of association (e.g. relative risk or … Continue reading
Serial and parallel testing Practitioners are often faced with situations where diagnostic testing schemes that limit the probability of a false negative or a false positive test result are desired. Serial and parallel testing schemes can be used to maximize … Continue reading
Predictive values Diagnostic test performance is measured by sensitivity and specificity. However, neither of these measurements informs the practitioner on the probability of disease in individuals with positive or negative test results. The real question that practitioners face is given … Continue reading
Sensitivity and Specificity Diagnostic tests are performed by veterinarians on a daily basis. These tests may range from physical examinations (i.e. listening to heart and lungs, measuring body temperature, etc.) to measuring antibody levels in blood by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay … Continue reading
Concepts of causation Investigating associations between risk factors (i.e. animal factors, environmental factors, or pathogen factors) and a particular outcome of interest (i.e. the occurrence of respiratory disease in weaned calves) are the core of epidemiologic studies. Although it may … Continue reading
Measuring risk When investigating problems of illness, death, or decreased production in cow-calf herds, a systematic approach to defining the problem, identifying risk factors, developing a plan, measuring impacts, and communicating results can aid the veterinarian and their client in … Continue reading
Defining the problem We’ve all experienced it at one point in time or another. If you own cattle, you’ve undoubtedly had cattle develop illness or die for some unknown reason. If you are a veterinarian, you’ve undoubtedly investigated such cases, … Continue reading
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