See something, say something
Consult with your veterinarian if you see unusual rates of disease or death. Rapidly responding to disease events can reduce the impact on your farm and on surrounding farms. It is always better to be cautious.
Producers can also help prevent disease on their farms by working with a veterinarian to have a "disease response plan" in place for suspected cases of contagious or reportable diseases.
A disease response plan should include:
- triggers for the response plan (e.g., numerous animals showing signs of disease, a significant decrease in production, a lack of response to routine treatments, unanticipated mortality rates),
- details of whom to contact, such as your veterinarian or local CFIA office,
- plans for limiting movements of animals, people or vehicles onto or off the premises, and
- other measures determined by you and your veterinarian.
If you see unusual rates of disease or death:
- Contact your veterinarian.
- Separate sick animals.
- Ensure animals are healthy before re-introducing them to the rest of the farm population.
- Post signs advising people of the illness.
- Wash hands frequently and use hand sanitizers at entrances and exits.
- Keep separate water and feed sources for healthy and sick animals.
- Avoid sharing equipment between healthy and sick animals. If equipment must be shared, clean and disinfect between each use.
- Strictly control visitor access to your property.
Handling sick animals:
- Wash your hands and clean your boots before and after handling sick animals.
- Use only specifically designated clothes and footwear when dealing with sick animals.
- Promptly remove and restrict access to carcasses.
- If possible, dedicate worker(s) to exclusively care for and handle sick animals. If this is not possible, always handle healthy animals first.