Video Length: 45 minutes
Despite the use of preventive measures, shelters are often the sites of infectious disease outbreaks. This vulnerability is due in part to the large number of animals housed in shelters, the transient nature of the population, and the various ages and health states of these animals. Infectious disease outbreaks have a huge effect not only on shelters, but on the communities they serve. This workshop reviews how to define an outbreak, what common types of diseases cause outbreaks in shelters, the shelter's ideal response to an outbreak, and how good intake and preventive medicine strategies can help prevent outbreaks before they even start. This presentation was recorded at the 2017 ASPCA-Cornell Maddie's Shelter Medicine Conference.
Dr. Lena DeTar is a faculty member at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed her residency in shelter medicine at the Oregon Humane Society, and her Master's in veterinary science with a Public Health certificate at the University of Florida. She is interested in infectious disease management, preventive medicine, international spay/neuter, education, and animal safety nets.