General Information Regarding Animal Disease . . .

Foot-and-Mouth Disease:Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a severe, highly communicable viral disease of cattle and swine. It also affects sheep, goats, deer and other cloven-hoofed ruminants. The disease is characterized by fever and blister-like sores on the tongue and lips, in the mouth, on the teats and between the hooves. Many affected animals recover, but the disease leaves them weakened and debilitated. Canada has been free of foot-and-mouth disease since 1952. For more information see the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) website.Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE):What is BSE: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or "Mad Cow Disease," is a progressive, fatal disease of the nervous system of cattle. It is what is known as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, or TSE. Other TSEs include scrapie in sheep, chronic wasting disease in deer and elk, and Creutzfelt-Jakob disease in humans. Although the exact cause of BSE is unknown, it is associated with the presence of an abnormal protein called a prion. There is no treatment or vaccine currently available for the disease. Go the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website for more information.
Download BSE Factsheet Dec 18, 07 - (PDF 59 KB)

Anthrax:

Anthrax is a disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It has been reported for thousands of years and is found worldwide. There are 3 forms: gastrointestinal, cutaneous, and inhalation. The most common form in animals is the gastrointestinal form. Anthrax is a reportable disease in Canada under the Health of Animals Act. Animal anthrax is a naturally occurring disease, which is a very different disease than the "white powder" made in a laboratory and used for bioterrorism. For more information click here for the Anthrax Fact Sheet (pdf ).