Research

Wildlife Health

The WCVM has been involved in investigations focused on wildlife health since the mid-1960s. To gain support for these projects, the College initiated its Wildlife Health Fund in 1981 to encourage and support applied research and training in the health and diseases of free-ranging wildlife. The WCVM was also instrumental in creating the Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre (CCWHC) - a national organization that applies the veterinary medical sciences to wildlife conservation and management in Canada through the country's veterinary colleges.

WCVM faculty members from a variety of disciplines - pathology, physiology, toxicology, epidemiology, medicine, parasitology and anesthesia - are involved in wildlife health research and education at the veterinary college. Current research projects focus on a variety of topics: stress physiology, aquatic and wildlife toxicology, environmental effects on the developmental and reproductive processes in vertebrates, epidemiological investigations of non-infectious and infectious diseases, the ecology of parasites, and the effect of environmental contaminants on the health of wildlife.

Annual research funding for wildlife health investigations at the WCVM has increased by more than 80 per cent to more than $5 million since 2002. The increased funding in wildlife research reflects new investigations in toxicology and environmental issues - areas where research activity is very strong. Another major influence is the College's research involvement in chronic wasting disease studies that are supported by PrioNet Canada, a Network of Centres of Excellence for prion disease research.

• Bollinger, Trent K.
  Pathology and epidemiology of diseases in wildlife and fish — particularly chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer and elk.
• Cattet, Marc
  Environmental health assessment in grizzly bear landscape ecology; new measures of long-term stress in vertebrates in the context of environmental monitoring; health and impact assessment; and chemical immobilization and handling of wild animals.  
• Haigh, Jerry
• Janz, David
  Interactions between physiological control and environmental alteration of developmental and reproductive processes in vertebrates.
• Jenkins, Emily
  Public health and food safety including involvement in studies looking at the circulation of diseases between dogs, wildlife and people in the North.
• Leighton, Frederick A. (Ted)
  Pathology and epidemiology of non-infectious and infectious diseases of wild animals, disease surveillance and management, avian influenza viruses in wild birds, transmission dynamics of chronic wasting disease, and epidemic disease in double crested cormorants.
• Parker, Dennilyn
  Avian, exotic and wildlife medicine including projects related to avian renal portal system, ferret diseases and the rabbit's gastrointestinal system.
• Pharr, John W.
  General ultrasonography, cardiac diagnostic imaging, orthopedic radiology, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography.
• Philibert, Hélène
  Diagnostic anatomic pathology.
• Polley, Lydden
  Ecology of parasites of domestic animals, wildlife and people in Canada.
• Schock, Danna
• Weber, Lynn
  The effect of environmental toxicants on the cardiovascular system in mammals and fish; the effects of glycemic index, obesity and second-hand tobacco smoke on cardiovascular function in dogs; and the effects of uranium mining effluents on fish cardiovascular development, swim performance and energy utilization.
• Wickstrom, Mark
  Effects of natural toxins, pesticides, metals and oil field emissions on immune function and DNA integrity in terrestrial wildlife and livestock.
• Wobeser, Gary A.
  Environmental contaminants related to pathology and toxicology in wildlife.