Reportable Diseases
Prompt reporting of any suspected foreign or emerging animal disease is critical to the mission of the Texas Animal Health Commission. The reporting process allows state and federal veterinarians to quickly respond to a variety of diseases with the potential to cause devastating damage to individual animals, the animal industry, the marketability of Texas livestock commodities and in some cases, human health.
The Texas Administrative Code, Title 4, Part 2, Chapter 45, Rule 45.2, requires that certain livestock and fowl diseases be reported to the TAHC within 24 hours of diagnosis. This requirement extends to a veterinarian, a veterinary diagnostic laboratory or a person having care, custody or control of an animal.
The TAHC's list of reportable diseases can include diseases and conditions that are World Organisation for Animal Health diseases, Foreign Animal Diseases, National USDA Program Diseases or Texas Animal Health Commission Designated Diseases. Certain zoonotic diseases (those with the ability to cause illness in both animals and people) are also reportable to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Anyone wishing to report a suspected or confirmed case of a reportable disease to the Texas Animal Health Commission can do so 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 1-800-550-8242.
