Blizzard knocks out AVMA for one day, animal emergencies minimal, Illinois state veterinarian reports

Chicago, Ill.

-- While the great blizzard of 2011 swept from Kansas through the Northeast this week, dumping more than 20 inches of snow on some areas like Chicago, the animal health impact was minimal, officials report.

The storm crippled air and ground transportation throughout much of the Midwest, but the latest wintry blast generated few health-related incidents for pets and livestock, reports Illinois' state veterinarian, Dr. Mark Ernst. In fact, Ernst didn't receive one call about storm-related animal health problems.

"Everybody had quite a bit of warning," he says of the storm, which paralyzed much of his state in recent days.

The headquarters of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) was closed Feb. 2 due to huge snow-fall accumulations and windy conditions, but AVMA spokesperson Sharon Curtis Granskog says things are getting back to normal.

"So many people were ready for it," she says, adding that travel was difficult.

"It was just a matter of nobody could safely get here," she says.

The national association received few storm-related calls from members, probably because of the careful planning by those who manage livestock and other outdoor animals, Granskog adds.