A System Approach to Managing Animal Health in Canada

Understanding the Factors Influencing Animal Health and the Process Leading to a National Animal Health Strategy for Canada

Table of Contents

Introduction

Recent outbreaks of BSE, SARS, West Nile Virus, and Avian Influenza, and the resulting socio-economic and environmental consequences in Canada, are catalyzing discussions among public and animal health professionals on our ability to effectively predict the emergence of, and respond to disease outbreaks. Equally important as these pathogens on the health of animal populations is the occurrence of toxic chemical and microbial contaminants as stressors found in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in Canada.

The objective of this paper is to provide a “bird’s eye-view” of key global drivers that are impacting Canada’s animal health system.  Although individuals and organizations have little influence on the evolution of these global drivers, by working together and by clarifying each others' roles, Canadians can affect how these drivers will determine changes in our animal health system.

The word ecosystem, as opposed to environment, is used in this paper to refer to a system of interacting biotic and abiotic elements applicable to the health of animal populations.  For the purpose of this discussion, animal health is the state of a living organism, species or population which can sustain biological functions to preserve its own integrity1 [other possible definition: capacity of an individual, population, or community to adapt to, and respond to changes and challenges within the ecosystem].2 Animal health includes animal welfare.

Understanding the potential impact global drivers such as climate change, population change, globalization and advances of science and technology have on factors influencing animal health, will help us characterize the complex interactions between natural and human-induced changes on ecosystems and describe how the interdependencies of the different animal groups determine the health status of our animal populations.  Greater knowledge and understanding of those will, no doubt, lead us to build an integrated system that optimizes animal health and welfare in the balanced interest of society, the economy and the environment.