Western Canadian Animal Health Network Podcasts

Podcasts on current animal health and surveillance topics

WeCAHN Podcasts

Following are podcasts describing current topics and challenges in animal health surveillance in western Canada, as well as nationally and internationally.

The Outbreak Supports Network

Dr. Betty Althouse joins us to discuss a new Outbreak Support Network,
funded by CWSHIN and working in collaboration with WeCAHN. This network is tasked with helping to ensure clear communications and efficient allocation of resources between producers, veterinarians and regulatory authorities in future disease incidents.
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WeCAHN Cattle Health Update: Regional Respiratory Disease Research on BRSV and Bovine Coronavirus

Dr. Yanyun Huang from Prairie Diagnostic Services describes two genomic research projects focused on the role of bovine coronavirus and bovine respiratory syncytial virus in respiratory disease of cattle in Western Canada.
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Foreign Animal Disease Planning and Prevention for Cattle

Dr. Karin Orsel, a professor in epidemiology and infectious diseases from the University of Calgary, has some up close and personal experience with the impacts of bovine infectious diseases of cattle that currently don’t exist in Canada.
These foreign animal diseases, such as foot and mouth disease, are kept out of Canada only by the strength of our farm biosecurity and through the ongoing monitoring and reporting of any of signs of concern to veterinarians for further investigation. Her experiences highlight the importance of vigilance and traceability in the cattle sector to ensure the health of our cattle and the security of our food systems.
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Beef cow-calf vaccination planning

Dr. Joyce Van Donkersgoed, a beef veterinarian and epidemiologist, shares recent results from producer and veterinarian surveys regarding beef cattle vaccination. She also provides a number of beef health vaccination planning resources and decision-making tools developed by a research team of cattle experts to support the valid veterinary-client-patient relationship.
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WeCAHN Swine Producer Update - Disease Threats and Maximizing Swine Health in Alternative Production Settings

If you are raising backyard pigs, heritage pig breeds, or swine in any type of alternative production setting, you need to tune into this WeCAHN swine producer update! Dr. Jessica Law, a swine veterinarian in Alberta, shares tips on disease threats that are specific to pigs raised in alternate production systems
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WeCAHN Small Flock Updates: ILT and other respiratory disease in small flocks

Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) is an important disease that commonly affects backyard poultry flocks leading to significant illness and potentially mortalities within flocks. Dr. Teryn Girard, a poultry veterinarian, speaks with us to provide some excellent information on ILT, including common clinical signs, how to diagnose this disease, and some important biosecurity measures to prevent this infection and other diseases from infecting poultry.
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WeCAHN cattle health update: Zoonotic diseases of cattle

Dr. Sylvia Checkley, veterinarian, epidemiologist and associate professor in ecosystem and public health at the University of Calgary, discusses the diseases of cattle that can be transmitted to people (zoonotic diseases), including their clinical signs and prevention. These should be on the radar for anyone working regularly with cattle or calves - producers and veterinarians alike.
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WeCAHN Small ruminant health updates: zoonotic diseases in small ruminants

Dr. Fabienne Uehlinger, an Associate Professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan, provides an update covering diseases of small ruminants that can be spread to people (zoonotic diseases) and prevention. These diseases and their clinical signs should be on the radar for anyone working regularly with sheep or goats - producers and veterinarians alike.
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Small Flock Biosecurity

Dr. Gigi Lin reviews simple steps to protect small flocks from diseases, including avian influenza. Whether you have 5 chickens in your backyard or 200 turkeys on farm: these tips on simple steps to protect your birds will be helpful now and in the future. Dr. Gigi Lin reviews simple steps to protect small flocks from diseases, including avian influenza.
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Biosecurity for Small Scale Swine Herds

Dr. Jessica Law is a swine veterinarian who works with Prairie Livestock Veterinarians and she provides care and consultations for many backyard swine producers in western Canada. Dr. Law reviews biosecurity protocols which anyone raising backyard pigs can utilize to protect their livestock from disease.
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