Lakefield Veterinary Group
22 January

University Researcher Aims To Make Veterinary Clinics A Safer Place For Humans And Animals Alike

wsvma   |   Practice Management, Uncategorized

Occupational hazards in the clinical veterinary setting place veterinary personnel at risk for work-related injury and illness. Among these hazards, physical trauma including animal-related and needlestick injuries is by far the most common. Studies suggest that up to two-thirds of veterinary personnel have experienced at least one animal related injury (ARI) during their career while nearly 100% report at least one needlestick/sharps related injury (1, 2). Workers’ compensation data in this state identify animal-related injuries as the most common injury...

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15 January

The Washington Legislature is in session

wsvma   |   Legislative, Uncategorized

The 2016 session of the Washington State legislature convened on January 11 and is scheduled to last for 60 days, with adjournment on March 10. The House is controlled by the Democrats 50-48 and in the Senate, the Majority Coalition Caucus of 25 Republicans and one Democrat hold a 26-23 margin. Governor Inslee is in his fourth year as Governor.  This narrow balance of power means that only those bills that can generate true consensus are able to move forward throughout...

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15 January

WSU Veterinary College advises on canine influenza viruses

wsvma   |   Animal Health, Uncategorized

While typing has yet to be confirmed in the two dogs testing positive for H3N2 canine influenza, WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine is providing information on canine influenza. According to Dr. Kevin Snekvik, a veterinary pathologist and Director of Operations at the Washington Animal Disease and Diagnostic Laboratory (WADDL), the influenza A H3N8 virus specific to dogs originated in horses and evolved over the last 40 years before jumping species. With continued mutation, the virus was able to transmit from...

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15 January

Highly Pathogenic H7N8 Avian Influenza found in Indiana commercial turkey flock

wsvma   |   Animal Health, Uncategorized

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced today that highly pathogenic H7N8 avian influenza (HPAI) has been found in a commercial turkey flock in Dubois County, Indiana. The new strain of virus is different from the strain that caused last year’s outbreak that affected 48 million birds. Avian influenza (AI) is caused by an influenza type A virus and is carried by waterfowl such as ducks, geese and shorebirds. H7N8 is not known to cause infections in humans. Biosecurity...

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14 January

New update on canine influenza in King County

wsvma   |   Animal Health, Uncategorized

Results of canine influenza pcr testing on two dogs that were part of the respiratory illness outbreak are positive, confirming canine influenza virus (CIV). It is not yet known if this is CIV H3N8 or H3N2. CIV antibody test results for H3N8 and H3N2 on convalescent samples from the dogs should be available next week. King County Public Health officials are still concerned that this will be CIV H3N2 based on results from the dogs tested in Georgia. Veterinarians interested in...

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