Paula Menzies

DVM (Guelph), MPVM (California) Diplomate European College Small Ruminant Health Management

 pmenzies@uoguelph.ca
 Office: Stewart Bldg. 2541
 519-824-4120 Ext. 54043

Profile

Paula has been involved in food animal health management, with a strong emphasis on improving the health of sheep and goats for over four decades.  She obtained her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College, and completed an internship in Large Animal Medicine and Surgery at the University of Saskatchewan and a residency / master’s degree in Food Animal Health Management and Epidemiology at University of California - Davis.  After spending a year in private practice in Nova Scotia, she returned to OVC as a faculty member and as part of the Ruminant Field Service group. She is currently a member of the Small Ruminant Veterinarians of Ontario, de facto member of the Canadian Small Ruminant Veterinarians (CSRV / VPRC), Diplomate in the European College of Small Ruminant Health Management, is Secretary-Treasurer of the International Sheep Veterinary Association and is a Board Member of the International Goat Association.     

Dr. Menzies retired in the spring of 2018 and was awarded Professor Emerita status in June of 2019. As part of her previous faculty duties, she provided emergency and flock health services to the practice, and taught sheep and goat health management to veterinary (DVM) students. She has given numerous presentations to veterinarians and producers on control and prevention of diseases of sheep and goats both nationally and internationally.   

She has developed health management programs for sheep and goats including the Ontario Maedi Visna Flock Status program; the Canadian Verified Sheep program (biosecurity, food safety, welfare and animal health); the Handbook for the Control of Internal Parasites of Sheep and Goats; and Guides for Udder Health of Dairy Sheep and Dairy Goats.  She has been on numerous small ruminant national (Canadian) committees including developing Codes of Practice for sheep and for goats (under revision), biosecurity guides for small ruminants, FMD vaccination strategies for Canada, as well as outside of Canada including committees on antimicrobial resistance (USA), Q fever, and is a member and former chair of the Advisory Committee for the UN FAO-OIE Peste des Petits Ruminants Global Eradication Program, whose goal it is to eradicate this viral disease of sheep and goats from the world by 2030.  She is currently Secretary-Treasurer of the International Sheep Veterinary Association and is on the Scientific Committees for the 2021 International Goat Congress and the 2023 International Sheep Veterinary Congress. Currently, she is a member of the Competency Development Task Force for the drafting of a North American Essential Competency Profile for Veterinary Medicine. This initiative is sponsored by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB), the Canadian Council of Veterinary Registrars (CCVR), the College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO), and the International Council for Veterinary Assessment (ICVA).  She was also the Chair of the Ontario Small Ruminant Veterinary Conference held in June, 2019 with over 250 attendees from 20 countries. 

Research Interests

Current Research Projects:

Investigation of immunity to gastrointestinal nematode infection under

Current Research Projects:

Investigation of immunity to gastrointestinal nematode infection under Ontario grazing conditions. - Completed 2019

Benchmarking kid mortality in Ontario dairy goat farms (Dr. Cathy Bauman and Jeff Wichtel PI) - Completed 2020

Distance support for on-farm investigation of adult small ruminant mortalities. (Dr. Maria Spinato PI) - Completed 2019

Next Generation Sequencing for the epidemiological study of pathogenic species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa; Coccidia) on Ontario sheep farms (Dr. John Barta PI) - Ongoing

Leveraging transcriptomics and systems biology to understand the genes and metabolic pathways associated with genetic resistance of sheep to gastrointestinal nematode parasite infections. (Dr. Angela Canovas PI) - Completed 2019

Prevalence and risk factors of toxoplasma infection in Ontario sheep flocks and goat herds - Completed 2020

Risk assessment for the incursion and establishment of livestock orbiviruses in Ontario: Serosurveillance and characterization of current vector composition and distribution. (Dr. Nicole Nemeth PI) - Completed 2021

Scrapie Surveillance in Canada - a risk based approach (Dr. Olaf Berke PI) - Completed 2019

Orthobunyaviral diseases, climate change and risk to humans - a multi-disciplinary approach (application in collaboration with Dr. Mubareka, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Research Institute - Ongoing

Graduate Students

• Michele Bergevin (PhD Epidemiology) - Committee
• Evelin Rejman (PhD Pathobiology) - Committee

Former Graduate Students

• Samantha Dixon (MSc Animal Biosciences) - Committee
• Emily Ratsep (DVSc Pathobiology) - Committee
• Jeanette Cooper (MSc Population Medicine) - Co-Advisor
• Emma Borkowski (PhD Pathobiology) - Committee
• Niorn Ratanapob (PhD Epidemiology, U Prince Edward Island) - Committee
• Jordan Pelkmans (MSc Population Medicine) - Committee
• Cathy Bauman (PhD Population Medicine) - Co-advisor
• Bradley DeWolf (MSc Population Medicine) - Advisor
• Shannon Meadows (PhD Population Medicine) - Co-advisor
• Trisha Westers (PhD Population Medicine) - Co-advisor
• Laura Falzon (PhD Population Medicine) - Co-advisor
• Ariel Porty (MSc Laurentian University) - Committee
• Jue Tang (MSc Population Medicine) - Committee
• Simone Leung (MRP Population Medicine) - Committee
• Kaley Mackie (MSc Population Medicine) - Co-advisor
• Niorn Ratanapob (PhD, U of Prince Edward Island) - Committee
• Curtis Mikel (MSc, Animal Biosciences) - Committee
• Vidyarani Sunil (MSc Population Medicine) - Co-advisor
• Siti Ramanoon (MSc Population Medicine) - Advisor
• Alessia Guthrie (MSc Population Medicine) - Committee
• Scott Walsh (PhD Pathobiology) - Committee
• America Mederos (PhD Population Medicine) - Committee
• Annette O'Connor (DVSc Population Medicine) - Co-advisor
• Sara Sutherland (MSc Population Medicine) - Committee
• Lisa Scott (MSc Population Medicine) - Co-advisor
• Catherine Moon (MSc Population Medicine) - Co-advisor
• Matt Brace (MSc Biomedical Science) - Committee
• Melissa Marshman (MRP Animal Sciences) - Committee
• Lindsay Thomlinson (MSc Pathology) - Committee
• John Papp (PhD Pathology) - Committee
• John Campbell (DVSc Population Medicine) - Co-advisor
• Kerry Lissemore (DVSc Population Medicine) - Co-advisor

Teaching

I retired in 2018 and have no teaching or clinical service duties.

Professional Experience & Honours

• Carl Block Award for contributions to Canadian agriculture (2014),
• Don E. Bailey Small Ruminant Practitioner of the Year (American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners) (2015) 
• The OVC Zoetis Research Award in Animal Health (2016) 
• The inaugural Small Ruminant Veterinarians of Ontario Award for Excellence (2018)
• University Professor Emerita (2019)

 

 

Links

Selected Publications

Menzies P.  Udder health for dairy goats. Vet Clin Food Anim. 2021 Jan; 37:149-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvfa.2020.12.002

Borkowski EA, Avula J, Redman EM, Sears W, Lilllie BN, Karrow NA, Menzies PI, Gilleard JS, Peregrine AS.  Correlation of subclinical gastrointestinal nematode parasitism with growth and reproductive performance in ewe lambs in Ontario.  Prev Vet Med. 2020 Dec; 185:105175. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2020.105175  

Borkowski EA, Avula J, Karrow NA, Menzies PI, Sears W, Redman EM, Lillie BN, Gilleard JS, Peregrine AS. Correlation of salivary antibody to carbohydrate larval antigen (CarLA) with health and gastrointestinal nematode parasitism in sheep under Ontario grazing conditions. Vet Parasitol. 2020 Jul; 283:109183. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109183

Ratanapob N, VanLeeuwen J, McKenna S, Wichtel M, Stryhn H, Rodriguez-Lecompte JC, Menzies P, Wichtel J.  Management factors associated with perinatal lamb mortality in Prince Edward Island flocks. Prev Vet Med. 2020 Jul;180:105035. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2020.105035.

Mackie KG, Menzies PI, Bateman KG, Gordon JL.  (2018) Efficacy of fenbendazole and ivermectin in treating gastrointestinal nematode infections in an Ontario cow-calf herd.  Can Vet J. 2019 Nov;60(11):1213-1219.

Ratanapob N, VanLeeuwen J, McKenna S, Wichtel M, Rodriguez-Lecompte JC, Menzies P, Wichtel J. Evaluation of the Precision Xtra meter for monitoring blood β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations in late-gestation ewes. J Vet Diagn Invest. 2019 Jan;31(1):17-22. 

Bauman CA, Jones-Bitton A, Jansen J, Kelton D, Menzies P.  (2018) Evaluation of bulk tank PCR and bulk tank hyper-ELISA for detection of paratuberculosis at the herd-level in goat and sheep dairies.  Journal of Dairy Science October 31.pii: S0022-0302(18)31013-0. doi: 10.3168/jds.2018-15020.

Plummer PJ, McClure JT, Menzies P, Morley PS, Van den Brom R, Van Metre DC. (2018). Management of Coxiella burnetiiinfection in livestock populations and the associated zoonotic risk.  Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Sep;32(5):1481-1494.

Ratanapob N, VanLeeuwen J, McKenna S, Wichtel M, Rodriguez-Lecompte JC, Menzies P, WIchtel J.  (2018) The association of serum β-hydroxybutyrate concentration with fetal number and health indicators in late-gestation ewes incommercial meat flocks in Prince Edward Island.  Preventive Veterinary Medicine. Jun 1;154:18-22.

Stonos N, Bauman C, Menzies P, Wootton SK, Karrow NA. (2017) Prevalence of small ruminant lentivirus and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosisco-infection in Ontario dairy sheep and dairy goats.  Canadian J Veterinary Research.81:155-159.

Bauman CA, Jones-Bitton A, Ahlstrom C, Mutharia L, De Buck J, Jansen J, Kelton D, Menzies P. (2017) Identification of Mycobacterium aviumsubspecies paratuberculosisstrains isolated from dairy goats and dairy sheep in Ontario, Canada. Can J Vet Res. Oct;81(4):304-307.

Mackie KG, Menzies PI, Bateman KG, Gordon JL. (2017). An observational study of naturally occurring gastrointestinal nematode infections in a seasonal grazing cow-calf herd in southern Ontario. Canadian Journal of Animal Science. 94:650-657.

Bauman CA, Jones-Bitton A, Menzies P,Jansen J, Kelton D. (2016). Paratuberculosis on small ruminant dairy farms in Ontario, Canada:  A survey of management practices. Canadian Veterinary Journal. 57:523-530.

Westers T, Jones-Bitton A, Menzies P, Vanleeuwen J, Poljak Z, Peregrine AS. (2016). Efficacy of closantel against ivermectin- and fenbendazole-resistant Haemonchus sp in sheep in Ontario, Canada.  Veterinary Parasitology.228:30-41

Bauman CA, Jones-Bitton A, Jansen J, Kelton D, Menzies P.  (2016). Evaluation of fecal culture and fecal PCR to detect Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosisfecal shedding in dairy goats and dairy sheep using latent class Bayesian modeling.  BMC Journal of Veterinary Research. 12:212

Meadows S, Jones-Bitton A, McEwen SA, Jansen J, Patel SN, Filejski C, Menzies P.  (2016) Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) seropositivity and associated risk factors in sheep and goat farm workers in Ontario, Canada.  Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. 16:643-649.

Westers T, Jones-Bitton A, Menzies P, Vanleeuwen J, Poljak Z, Peregrine AS. (2016). Identification of effective treatment criteria for use in targeted selective treatment programs to control type II haemonchosis in periparturient ewes in Ontario, Canada.  Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 134:40-57

Bauman CA, Jones-Bitton A, Menzies P, Toft N, Jansen J, Kelton D. (2016). Prevalence of paratuberculosis in the dairy goat and dairy sheep industries in Ontario, Canada.  Canadian Veterinary Journal.57:169-75.

Meadows S, Jones-Bitton A, McEwen S, Jansen J, Menzies P.(2015). Coxiella burnetiiseropositivity and associated risk factors in sheep in Ontario, Canada. Preventive Veterinary Medicine.  122:129-34. 

Meadows S, Jones-Bitton A, McEwen S, Jansen J, Menzies P.(2015). Coxiella burnetiiseropositivity and associated risk factors in goats in Ontario, Canada. Prev Vet Med. 121:

Falzon, L. C., Vanleeuwen, J., Menzies, P. I., Jones-Bitton, A., Sears, W., J.T. Jansen, A.S. Peregrine (2015).  Comparison of calculation methods used for the determination of anthelmintic resistance in sheep in a temperate continental climate.  Parasitology Research, 114 (4), 1631-43.   

Mederos, A., Kelton, D., Peregrine, A. S., Vanleeuwen, J., Fernandez, S., A. LeBoeuf, P. Menzies, R. Martin (2014).  Evaluation of the utility of subjective clinical parameters for estimating the impact of parasitic gastroenteritis in Canadian sheep flocks.  Veterinary Parasitol.   205:568-74.

Falzon, L. C., Menzies, P. I.,VanLeeuwen, J., Shakya, K. P., Jones-Bitton, A., Jacob Avula, Jocelyn T. Jansen, Andrew S. Peregrine (2014).  Pilot project to investigate over-wintering of free-living gastrointestinal nematode larvae of sheep in Ontario, Canada.   The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 55, 749-756.   

Falzon, L. C., Menzies, P. I., Vanleeuwen, J., Jones-Bitton, A., Shakya, K. P., J. Avula, J.T. Jansen, A.S. Peregrine (2014).  Efficacy of targeted anthlemintic treatment for suppression of the peri-parturient egg rise in ewes and impact on 50-day lamb weights.  Small Ruminant Research, 116, 206-218.   

Falzon, L. C., O'Neill, T., Menzies, P.,Peregrine, A., Jones-Bitton, A., John Vanleeuwen, America Mederos (2014).  A systematic review and meta-analysis of factors associated with anthelmintic resistance in sheep.  Preventive Veterinary Medicine.   117:388-402.

Walsh, S. R., Stinson, K. J., Menzies, P. I., & Wootton, S. K. (2014).  Development of an antemortem diagnostic test for enzootic nasal tumour virus (ENTV-1) and detection of neutralizing antibodies in host serum.  Journal of General Virology.   95(Pt8):1843-54. 

DeWolf, B. D., Peregrine, A. S., Jones-Bitton, A., Jansen, J. T., & Menzies, P. I.(2013).  Taenia ovis infection and its control: a Canadian perspective.  New Zealand Veterinary Journal, 62 (1), 1-7.   

Walsh, S. R., Linnerth-Petrik, N. M., Yu, D. L., Foster, R. A., Menzies, P. I.,Andres Diaz-Mendez, Heather J Chalmers, Sarah K Wootton (2013).  Experimental transmission of enzootic nasal adenocarcinoma in sheep.  Veterinary Research, 44, 66-79.   

Barrere, V., Falzon, L. C., Shakya, K. P., Menzies, P. I.,Peregrine, A. S., R. K. Pritchard (2013).  Assessment of benzimidazole resistance in Haemonchus contortus in sheep flocks in Ontario, Canada: Comparison of detection methods for drug resistance.  Veterinary Parasitology, 198, 159-165.   

DeWolf, B. D., Poljak, Z., Peregrine, A. S., Jones-Bitton, A., Jansen, J. T., Paula I. Menzies(2013).  Development of a Taenia ovis transmission model and an assessment of control strategies.  Veterinary Parasitology, 198, 127-135.   

Falzon, L. C., Menzies, P. I.,Shakya, K. P., Jones-Bitton, A., Vanleeuwen, J., J Avula, H Stewart, JT Jansen, MA Taylor. J Learmount and AS Peregrine (2013).  Anthelmintic resistance in sheep flocks in Ontario, Canada.  Veterinary Parasitology, 193, 150-162.   

Santry, L. A., de Jong, J., Gold, A. C., Walsh, S. R., Menzies, P. I.,Sarah K. Wootton (2013).  Genetic characterization of small ruminant lentiviruses circulating in naturally infected sheep and goats in Ontario, Canada.   Virus Research, 175, 30-44.   

Falzon, L. C., Menzies, P. I.,Vanleeuwen, J., Jones-Bitton, A., Shakya, K. P., J. Avula, J.T. Jansen, A.S. Peregrine (2013).  A survey of farm management practices and their associations with anthelmintic resistance in sheep flocks in Ontario, Canada.  Small Ruminant Research, 114, 41-45.   

Falzon, L. C., Menzies, P. I.,Shakya, K. P., Jones-Bitton, A., Vanleeuwen, J., J Avula, JT Jansen, AS Pergrine (2013).  A longitudinal study on the effect of lambing season on the periparturient egg rise in Ontario sheep flocks.  Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 110, 467-480.   

DeWolf, B. D., Peregrine, A., Jones Bitton, A., Jansen, J., MacTavish, J., Menzies Paula I (2012).  Distribution of and risk factors associated with, sheep carcass condemnations due to Cysticercus ovis infection on Canadian sheep farms.  Veterinary Parasitology, 190, 434-441.   

Scott, L., Menzies, P.,Smith, R. J., Avery, B. P., McEwen, S. A., Moon CS, Berke O (2012).  Antimicrobial resistance in fecal generic Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp obtained from Ontario sheep flocks, and associations between antimicrobial use and resistance.  Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research, 76, 109-119.   

Scott, L., Menzies, P.,Reid-Smith, R. J., Avery, B. P., McEwen, S. A., CS Moon, O Berke (2012).  Antimicrobial Resistance in Campylobacter spp. Isolated from Ontario Sheep Flocks and Associations between Antimicrobial use and Antimicrobial Resistance.  Zoonoses and Public Health, 59 (4), 294-301.   

DeWolf, B. D., Peregrine, A. S., Jones-Britton, A., Jansen, J. T., MacTavish, J., PI Menzies(2012).  Distribution of, and risk factors associated with, sheep carcass condemnations due to Cysticercus ovis infection on Canadian sheep farms.  Veterinary Parasitology, 190, 434-441.   

Menzies, P.(2012).  Vaccination programs for reproductive disorders of small ruminants.  Animal Reproduction Science, 130, 162-172.   

Mederos, A., Waddell, L., Sánchez, J., Kelton, D., Peregrine, A. S., Menzies, P.,VanLeeuwen, J., & Rajić, A. (2012).  A systematic review-meta-analysis of primary research investigating the effect of selected alternative treatments on gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep under field conditions.  Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 104 (1-2), 1-14.   

Mederos, A., Waddell, L., Sánchez, J., Peregrine, A. S., Menzies, P.,VanLeeuwen J, Rajić A (2012).  A systematic review-meta-analysis of primary research investigating the effect of selected alternative treatments on gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep under field conditions.  Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 104, 1-14.   

Moon, C. S., Berke, O., Avery, B. P., McEwen, S. A., Reid-Smith, R. J., L Scott, P Menzies(2011).  Rates and determinants of antimicrobial use, including extra-label drug use, on Ontario sheep farms.  Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research, 75, 1-10.   

Walsh, S.R., Linnerth-Petrik, N.M., Laporte, A.R., Menzies, P.I.,Foster, R.A., Wootton, S.K. (2010).  Full-length genome sequence analysis of enzootic nasal tumour virus reveals an unusually high degree of genetic stability.  Virus Research, 151 (1), 74-87.   

Moon, C. S., Berke, O., Avery, B. P., McEwen, S. A., Reid-Smith, R. J., L Scott, P Menzies(2010).  Characteristics of drug use on sheep farms in Ontario, Canada.   The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 51, 1373-1378.   

Guthrie, A. D., Learmount, J., VanLeeuwen, J., Peregrine, A. S., Kelton, D., Menzies, P. I., Fernández, S., Martin, R. C., Mederos, A., & Taylor, M. A. (2010).  Evaluation of a British computer model to simulate gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep on Canadian farms.  Veterinary Parasitology, 174 (1-2), 92-105.   

Mederos, A., Fernández, S., VanLeeuwen, J., Peregrine, A. S., Kelton, D., Menzies, P., LeBoeuf, A., & Martin, R. (2010).  Prevalence and distribution of gastrointestinal nematodes on 32 organic and conventional commercial sheep farms in Ontario and Quebec, Canada (2006-2008).  Veterinary Parasitology, 170 (3-4), 244-252.   

Mederos, A., Fernandez, S., Vanleeuwen, J., Peregrine, A. S., Kelton, D., P Menzies, A LeBoeuf, R Martin (2010).  Prevalence and distribution of gastrointestinal nematodes on 32 organic and conventional commercial sheep farms in Ontario and Quebec, Canada (2006–2008).  Veterinary Parasitology, 170, 244-252.   

Walsh, S. R., Laporte, A. N., Linnerth-Petrik, N. M., Menzies, P.,Foster, R. A., SK Wootton (2010).  Full-length genome sequence analysis of enzootic nasal tumor virus reveals an unusually high degree of genetic stability.  Virus Research, 151, 74-87.   

Sutherland, S. J., Gray, J. T., Menzies, P.,Hook, S. E., & Millman, S. T. (2009).  Transmission of foodborne zoonotic pathogens to riparian areas by grazing sheep.  Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research, 73, 125-131.   

Sunil, V., Menzies, P., Shewen, P. E., & Prescott, J. F. (2008).  Performance of a whole blood interferon gamma assay for detection and eradication of caseous lymphadenitis in sheep.  Veterinary Microbiology, 128, 288-297.   

Bateman, K., Menzies, P.,Sandals, D., Duffield, T., LeBlanc, S., Leslie K., Lissemore K., Swackhammer R (2008).  Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) as a Summative Evaluation Tool in a Ruminant Health Management Rotation for Final-Year DVM Students.  Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 35, 382-388.   

Sunil, V., Menzies, P. I.,Shewen, P. E., & Prescott, J. F. (2008).  Performance of a whole blood interferon-gamma assay for detection and eradication of caseous lymphadenitis in sheep.  Veterinary Microbiology, 128, 288-297.   

Brace, M. D., Peters, O., Menzies, P.,King, W. A., & Nino-Soto, M. (2008).  Sex chromosome chimerism and the freemartin syndrome in Rideau Arcott sheep.  Cytogenetic and Genome Research, 120, 132-139.   

Menzies, P. (2006).  The Ontario Sheep Health Program: A structured health management program for intensively reared flocks.  Small Ruminant Research, 62, 95-99.   

Fisher, J. W. & Menzies, P.(2005).  of a maedi visna flock certification program and the changes in productivity and economic return.   Sheep & Goat Research Journal, 20, 18-25.  

Menzies, P. I.,Hwang, Y., & Prescott, J. F. (2004).  Comparison of an interferon-gamma to a phospholipase D enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosis of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosisinfection in experimentally-infected goats.  Veterinary Microbiology, 100, 237-239.   

Menzies, P.,Langs, L., Boermans, H., Martin, J., & McNally, J. (2004).  Brief communication: Myopathy and hepatic lipidosis in weaned lambs due to vitamin E deficiency.  The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 45, 244-247.   

Menzies, P.,Hwang, Y., Songer, J., & Prescott, J. F. (2004).  Comparison of an interferon-gamma to a phospholipase D enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosis of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosisinfection in experimentally-infected goats.  Veterinary Microbiology, 100, 129-137.   

Menzies, P.,Boermans, H., Hoff, B., Durzi, T., & Langs, L. (2003).  Survey of the status of copper, interacting minerals, and vitamin E levels in the livers of sheep in Ontario.  The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 44, 898-906.   

Prescott, J., Menzies, P. I.,& Hwang, Y. (2002).  An interferon-gamma assay for diagnosis of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosisinfection in adult sheep from a research flock.  Veterinary Microbiology, 88, 287-297.  

Truncated to 2002