Chapter 15; Disease Prevention By: Lexie, Alexis, Ally, Morgie and Morgan Elle

Objectives 1. Name components of disease prevention. 2. Describe vaccines and their roles. 3.Connect the significance of the material to veterinary practice.

Disease Prevention  There are multiple factors that lead disease, such as immunity and nutrition.  Maintaining the normal bacteria flora helps maintain the health of an animal.

Stress  Stress can be a HUGE factor in the causes of disease.  Stress doesn’t require conscious thought, therefore an animal does not have to be conscious to be stressed.  Stressed animals release higher levels of epinephrine.  There are a wide range of factors that can contribute to stress.  For example, an animals change in diet, overcrowding, competition and weather can effect their stress level.  As stress increases, an animals exposure to pathogens increase, therefore causing a larger chance of the animal getting sick.  However the increase in cortisol in response to stress has benefits  It helps increase the carbohydrate metabolism and shifts glucose in the brain.

Nutritional Problems  Nutritional problems can contribute to stress or may effect the immune system response.  Antioxidants play a role in the animal immune system  Antioxidants are oxidation-inhibiting vitamins and minerals.  Sudden changes in diet may effect the normal bacterial flora in the animals intestinal tract.

Ventilation  Ventilation is the exchange of air from within the building and is EXTREMELY important when it comes to maintain an animals stress levels!  Fresh air prevents disease, lowers moisture, heat ammonia and pathogens.  Proper ventilation protects the animal  Proper ventilation protects the animal  Lack of ventilation can lead to diseases, such as wet dewlap in rabbits.  Wet dewlap is an infection in the skin of the lower neck

Vaccines  Vaccines increase the animals immunity.  An animals vaccines are determined by age sex and functional purpose.  To prevent disease on a farm, farmers practice herd immunity.  Herd immunity decreases the chance of disease in a large herd.  Common diseases with vaccines are:  Distemper in dogs.  Panleukopenia in cats.  These diseases are deadly!!!

Vaccines Cont.  Timing of an animals vaccinations are critical.  An animal should be administered when the animal is very young, in order for the immune system to have a response.  Administering the booster shot in less then 2 weeks and more then 8 decreases the chance of immunity.  However the immunity is not indefinite therefore the animal needs another shot every 1-3 years depending on what the vaccine was for.  Older animals have better immunity than younger animals.  A vaccine can fail if it is not handled correctly and certain vaccines may increase the chance of a cancerous tumor.

Clinical Practice  Biosecurity plays an important role in clinical practice.  Biosecurity is the term used to describe practices that protect safety in animals.  Quarantining animals is also very important in protecting animals.  Quarantining is when you separate one animal from the rest of the herd.