significant number of human and animal deaths and injuries. These events have ... Figure 1.1: Canterbury earthquakes since 4th September 2010 until April.
Evaluation of morbidity and mortality of animals post Canterbury earthquakes H SQUANCE, K.E. HILL & J BRIDGES INSTITUTE OF VETERINARY, ANIMAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES, MASSEY UNIVERSITY, PALMERSTON NORTH, NEW ZEALAND
Until recently animals have not been considered in emergency management planning (Squance 2011) although they are known to assist with coping strategies of owners during times of stress (Hunt et al 2008). The animal health profession has had little direct involvement in emergency management albeit there is a societal expectation that veterinary professionals will assist the general public with their animals during times of disasters (Madigan & Dacre 2010). Therefore veterinary professionals require an understanding of their role in emergency management. In this project the Canterbury region is used as a case study to evaluate how animals are affected by disasters as it has experienced over 10,000 events of seismic activity since the 4th September 2010 earthquake (Fig 1.1). This has had devastating consequences on the infrastructure and lives of those living the in the region.
Clinic A Cat
25
25
Clinic A Dog
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Died GI Renal
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Number of Cases
20
Died GI Renal
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Recent disasters such as floods, fires, snow storms, earthquakes and tsunamis, nationally and internationally, have contributed to a significant number of human and animal deaths and injuries. These events have highlighted the importance of the use of specific disaster risk and impact modelling to inform the mitigation tools such as developing appropriate building regulations, facilitating decision making on urban developments (Joint Centre for Disaster Research, 2011) and assisting with response and recovery processes. Despite this development there has been little scientific research on how disasters affect animals; therefore there is a lack of understanding on how to mitigate hazards and risks that could, in turn, reduce morbidity and mortality of animals. Evaluating how disasters affect animals is a step towards multidiscipline all-hazard comprehensive emergency management
RESULTS
Number of Cases
INTRODUCTION
Jan 2010
Jan 2010
Jan 2011
Jan 2012
Jan 2011
Jan 2012
Dec 2012
Dec 2012
Clinic B Cat
25
25
Clinic B Dog
Figure 1.1: Canterbury earthquakes since 4th September 2010 until April 2012 Canterbury Quake Live http://www.canterburyquakelive.co.nz/QuakeBreakdown
AIM The aim of this study was to evaluate morbidity and mortality of animals in disasters and how disasters affect the health of animals immediately, short-term and long-term post disaster using the recent Canterbury earthquakes as a case study. The outputs from the study will be used in earthquake (along with other disasters) risk and impact models to develop mitigation measures for animal welfare during disasters.
METHODOLOGY A pilot retrospective cohort review of patient visits from two veterinary clinics within and surrounds of the worst affected areas in Canterbury region that have VisionVPM database. A unique SQL script was developed to date mine patient records. Data was collected from the 9 month period before the September 4th earthquake through to December 2012, 12 months post earthquakes. The veterinary visits were filtered to find the reason for presentation and treatment then coded into 3 different categories: Gastro-intestinal, renal and death. A time-series analysis was performed on data collected using R. a software tool for statistical modelling.
15
20
Died GI Renal
5
10
Number of Cases
15 10
0
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5
Number of Cases
20
Died GI Renal
Jan 2010
Jan 2011
Jan 2012
Dec 2012
Jan 2010
Jan 2011
Jan 2012
Dec 2012
Figure 1.2: Time-series plots detailing the presentation of gastro-intestinal, renal and death of dogs and cats for the period of 1st January 2010 to December 31st 2012
Time-series graphs detailing the presentation for GI, renal and death for the period January 2010 to December 2012 are shown (Fig. 1.2). • Examinations of the graphs from the models, created using pre-event data only, indicated that GI presentations were not as highly presented by their pre-event models. • After each large earthquake there was an instant decline then rapid incline of GI case presentation. • Animals left in areas which were most affected by liquefaction noted a steeper peak in GI presentation. • Renal presentation both acute (FLUTD and cystitis) and chronic increased after each earthquake • Euthanasia and deaths appear to spike after the earthquake and related events such as EQC required relocation . The findings of this study illustrate how dramatic changes in the presentation of diseases particularly GI in dogs and renal in cats have followed in the wake of the Canterbury 2010/2011 earthquake series in New Zealand.
CONCLUSION Understanding the medical conditions that disasters exacerbate can lead to plans being put in place to reduce the effects on animals. This information can be used to educate owners, veterinary professionals, emergency managers and other animal health carers on these effects. It will allow for pre-emptive medical treatment of patients with current medical diseases that could be exuberated due to a disaster and implement mitigation tools to reduce mortality of animals. Further evaluation of data and control clinics will be required to fully evaluate data.
REFERENCES
Hunt, et al., (2008) Psychological sequelae of pet loss following Hurricane Katrina, Athrozoos, 21(2), 109-121, Joint Centre for disaster management (2011), Nature and type of injuries from the 4 September and 22 February 2011 Canterbury earthquakes, Research Update November 2011, Joint Centre for Disaster Research, GNS Science, Massey University School of Psychology, Madigan J., & Dacre I., (2009), Preparing for veterinary emergencies; disaster management and the Incident Command System. Rev Sci Tech, 28 (2),627-633, Squance H.,(2011), Animal Welfare Emergency Management Educational Needs, Masters Thesis, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
