Читать книгу Infectious Disease Management in Animal Shelters - Группа авторов - Страница 118

There are two high‐level indications for diagnostic testing of individual animals, including (i) screening for common diseases found in a population and (ii) diagnosis of existing disease states. Screening tests are those that are conducted on all members of a defined population for the detection of diseases that are commonly present but have not yet become clinical. Screening tests provide for early detection of disease, thus allowing for earlier management and, in most cases, an improved prognosis for the individual animal while also having potentially (widespread) implications for the health and well‐being of the larger population in the case of contagious diseases. For these reasons, they are a key component of a comprehensive preventive care strategy. Such testing is most useful for diseases that have a long preclinical phase and for which the benefits of early treatment outweigh the expense of conducting the test, the cost of disease progression in the individual (both in terms of money and welfare), and the cost of disease transmission within the shelter population. In most cases, if performed, screening should be conducted at the time of shelter intake to realize these benefits; however, screening at other times may be considered for diseases that do not pose immediate threats in order to improve animal flow through the shelter system and promote more efficient utilization of resources. Diseases for which screening tests are commonly conducted include canine heartworm disease, feline retroviruses, and dermatophytosis.