Ariella Barry, DVM, MPH VMO, Hawaii Dept of Health
Please join us in welcoming Ariella Barry, DVM, MPH, who is serving as the new Veterinary Medical Officer with the Hawai‘i State Department of Health. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Kansas State University and her Master of Public Health in Global Health from Harvard University.
Ariella has a strong interest in One Health and disease surveillance, particularly zoonotic diseases with high prevalence in Hawai‘i such as toxoplasmosis, leptospirosis, and brucellosis. She is dedicated to strengthening interagency collaboration across the state to enhance public health preparedness and response at the human–animal–environment interface.
Originally from California, Ariella is passionate about advancing public health through collaborative, evidence-based approaches that bridge veterinary and medical sciences. She also works as an Emergency Veterinarian. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking and going to the beach with her German Shepherd.
Since her graduation from veterinary medical school with a focus on aquatic animal medicine; Dr. Shaw has dedicated her career to the wellbeing of animals wild and free. (And to those living with humans too).
During her field time as an aquatic animal veterinarian; Dr. Shaw worked with migrating sea birds, Hawaiian green sea turtles, fishes, and endangered marine mammal species, such as the Hawaiian monk seal (HMS), among others. Playing a pivotal role in the success of the HMS Critter Cam project, and other telemetry studies, Dr. Shaw facilitated further understanding of the habits of the HMS as well as protection of their prey species, foraging/feeding grounds, and pupping habitat.
Upon becoming acutely aware of the severity of the world’s animal overpopulation crisis, Dr. Shaw had also turned her attention and energy towards solving this dilemma, which threatens animal welfare as well as human health.
Compassionately crusading for humane population reduction and health care for those animals, often otherwise uncared for, became the main direction of her career before 2020. She has put together large volume reproductive control clinics or joined others already doing so in Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Indonesia, India, Nepal, Samoa, and domestically as well.
When not crusading for animals overseas, Dr. Shaw can be found on Kauai as well as traveling to share her abundant knowledge of holistic medicine.
Dr. Shaw uses rehabilitation and regenerative medical modalities such as: acupuncture, chiropractic, frequency medicine, healing laser, herbs, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, ozone therapy, regenerative injection therapies, deep tissue massage, myofascial release, Rolf method of structural integration, TCVM, and nutrition, to enhance the quality of life of her patients.
Dr. Shaw firmly believes it’s not just about adding years to their lives but adding quality to those years…
In an effort to become even better at this goal, Dr. Shaw is pursuing a Masters degree in TCVM through Chi university in Florida.
In her free time she enjoys helping babies be born peacefully at home, sailing, swimming, scuba, surfing, traveling, learning foreign languages, practicing and teaching yoga as well as dabbling in plant based cooking.
This year we are moving our annual conference back to Waikiki at the Sheraton Princess Ka’iulani Hotel! Labs will be offered on Nov 5-6, 2025, including Essentials for Fracture Repair for General Practitioners and Stabilization of Unstable Joints, Dental Radiography Positioning, Physical Medicine and Pain Management Workshop, and a hands on Laser Lab. See more lab details here.
Multiple track lectures will fill Nov 7-9, 2025, including ophthalmology, internal medicine, soft tissue surgery, anesthesia and analgesia, and an equine track on Saturday. Veterinary technician specific lectures will be offered on Saturday and Sunday. The HVMA Hui (Annual Business Meeting) will occur over lunch on Saturday, and we will be holding our annual social event with dinner at the Zoo on Saturday evening.
Registration is now open for attendees and exhibitors. Remember to log in to your HVMA online account to receive the discounted registration rates for active members. Discounted group room rates at the Sheraton Princess Ka’iulani will be posted soon and must be booked by October 1, 2025.
Check out our conference page for more information as we will continue to post details such as the conference schedule and speaker bios. Please join us for great RACE-approved CE, our lively exhibit hall, food, and fellowship with your local vet community!
HB544 / SB1026 Relating to Pet Insurance – HVMA supports
HB1427 / SB1591 Relating to Avian Influenza – HVMA supports
SB493 Relating to Veterinarians – HVMA opposes (due to workforce development fee on vet license renewals and logistical challenges of developing new program/fund)
SB874 Relating to Veterinary Medicine – HVMA would submit comments that AVMA Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics already requires vets to provide written prescriptions upon request. Would prefer to include language specifying that posting signage in the lobby to inform the client of their right to request a written prescription is sufficient.
Keep an eye out as we may call on you to submit testimony on these bills as hearings arise, particularly SB874.
Submitted by Raquel Wong, DVM, Hawaii Dept of Ag Animal Industry Division
Avian clients should not be turned away simply because HPAI is in the environment. Clinics and mobile veterinarians are encouraged to continue treating birds with extra attention focused on biosecurity and the signs of HPAI should they need to report suspected cases to animal health officials.
What are the signs of HPAI?
Decreased water consumption
Extreme depression
Very quiet
Difficulty breathing
Decrease in feed or water intake
Swelling or purple discoloration of head, eyelids, comb, wattle, and hocks
Decrease in egg production
Sudden unexplained death
What if a client calls with sick birds?
Veterinary clinics should develop a set of questions for their clients to determine the HPAI risk of the pet bird and then develop their own procedures appropriate to the risk. Some starter questions to consider:
Is the avian species a wild bird?
Veterinarians should not let wild waterfowl, gulls or other susceptible HPAI wild species into their facility.
Are all birds sick or just one? What is the overall health of the flock?
If one bird is sick or dead and all the others appear healthy it may not be HPAI. However, if a flock is experiencing daily mortality or there are a number of dead birds it should be reported to the Animal Industry Division, Hawaii Department of Agriculture at 808-483-7100 (Monday – Friday 7:45 AM – 4:30 PM). After hours or weekends to 808-837-8092. Or email HDOAIC@hawaii.gov.
Does the bird have access to the outside in a free ranging type of situation (vs. being in a contained/controlled housing away from environmental elements)
If yes, how long does the bird spend time outside? Is the time spent outside supervised?
Does the client live by a body of water or agricultural field?
Does the client feed wild birds or wild animals?
Does the client engage in sport hunting of wild birds?
Does the client work or volunteer with any avian species?
Answering yes to any of these questions should prompt additional precautionary procedures to be utilized and have AI on your list of differential diagnoses.
How should clinics handle routine avian appointments?
Avian patient physical contact should be limited, and staff should always wear the appropriate PPE and wash their hands before and after handling birds. Additional biosecurity guidance includes:
Make an exam room at the clinic for avian appointments only.
See avian appointments at the end of the day.
Limit staff contact with avian species, especially those that have pet birds at home.
Emergency surgeries only for avian species.
Hospitalized avian species should be kept away from routine avian appointments.
All medical equipment and laundry used for avian appointments should be washed and disinfected appropriately.
Disinfect exam rooms following label directions on preparation and contact time to ensure it kills potential HPAI virus. Look for a disinfectant with an EPA registered product with label claim for Avian Influenza
Proper PPE should be used including gowns, foot coverings, masks, gloves, and eye protection.
Educate staff and clients about how HPAI is spread and how to reduce the spread of the disease.
How should mobile veterinarians handle client visits?
Wear clean clothing and boots.
If possible, limit ambulatory visits to facilities with poultry to one site per day.
Wash your vehicle immediately prior to and when leaving a site with poultry.
Use disposable coveralls, boots, and gloves, +/- masks. If possible and agreeable to the client, leave them at the client’s site.
Considerations for clinic staff biosecurity
Does the facility have a written biosecurity plan and procedures?
Do employees and volunteers receive biosecurity training?
Do employees and volunteers change into dedicated work clothing onsite? Is work-provided clothing laundered onsite, or is it taken home with employees?
What personal protective equipment (such as boots, gloves, coveralls, and masks) do you provide?
Are staff allowed to keep poultry or pet birds at home? Do staff engage in sport hunting of wild birds?
If the attending veterinarian is an offsite contractor, do they treat birds at other locations? What precautions do they take when visiting your facility?
Are there protocols (such as showering, changing clothes, or avoiding bird contact for 72 hours) for people who visit captive wild bird facilities or poultry premises?
What if you suspect a bird in your care has HPAI?
Call the Animal Industry Division, Hawaii Department of Agriculture at 808-483-7100 (Monday – Friday 7:45 AM – 4:30 PM). After hours or weekends to 808-837-8092. Or email HDOAIC@hawaii.gov.
On Friday 11/15/2024, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture announced they had confirmed multiple bird deaths due to H5N1 from a backyard flock in Central Oahu near the Wahiawa wastewater treatment plant. HDOA pathologists performed necropsies on the dead birds, and confirmatory tests for H5N1 were performed at NVSL and Hawaii Department of Health. Affected birds from this site included ducks, a goose, and a zebra dove.
HDOA has issued a quarantine order on this site, which requires all birds on the property to be depopulated and the premises cleaned and disinfected.
Human illness from H5N1 is uncommon, and people in Hawaii are still unlikely to get sick from avian influenza at this time.
Veterinarians and the public should continue to be vigilant for illness or mass die-offs in poultry or waterfowl flocks, and report any multiple or unusual illnesses or deaths to HDOA Animal Industry Division at 808-483-7102 or 808-837-8092.
Symptoms of avian influenza in poultry and other birds include:
Sudden death without any prior symptoms of illness
Lack of energy and appetite
A drop in egg production or soft-shelled, misshapen eggs
Swelling of the eyelids, comb, wattles and shanks
Purple discoloration of the wattles, comb and legs
Gasping for air (difficulty breathing)
Nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing
Twisting of the head and neck (torticollis)
Stumbling or falling down
Diarrhea
Specialized BHI swabs for AI PCR testing of poulty and waterfowl are available from HDOA. In poultry, collect oropharyngeal swabs; in waterfowl, collect cloacal swabs. Swabs can be pooled and stored in the BHI media refrigerated for up to 1 week prior to submission to the Halawa Veterinary Laboratory. Please see these instructions and contact Dr. Raquel Wong at the HDOA Animal Industry Division (808-483-7100) to obtain the appropriate media and swabs.
Talking points for the public:
The risk of H5N1 to humans and animals in Hawaii is currently low.
Do not touch sick or dead birds without appropriate personal protective equipment such as gloves, facemasks, protective gowns and footwear.
On Wednesday 11/13/2024, the Department of Health announced they had detected H5 virus from a wastewater processing plant on Oahu. This testing is a part of routine testing of wastewater facilities across the US by the CDC. Due to the type of testing performed, the presence of the avian influenza virus was detected, but no sequencing has yet been conducted to confirm whether this is the highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza also known as HPAI, H5N1.
During the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza within the United States over the past 2 years, Hawaii has been the only state in the US without a confirmed case of H5N1 in humans or animals. H5N1 can spread rapidly between birds, and has been found more rarely in mammals such as humans, cows, and pigs. There is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission of H5N1 in the United States.
There are no reports of human or animal H5N1 cases in Hawaii and the overall risk of H5N1 to humans and animals within the state remains low.
The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) already maintains strict bird import laws that require permits, inspections, health certificates, identification requirements and in some cases, isolation periods prior to importation into Hawaii. Due to recent widespread outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza on the mainland, HDOA has further restricted the importation of birds from areas experiencing outbreaks and has required pre-entry avian influenza test protocols. In addition, HDOA has placed an embargo on importing birds through the mail.
While the Department of Health continues to investigate the source of the H5 virus detected, veterinarians and the public should continue to be vigilant for illness or mass die-offs in poultry or waterfowl flocks.
Symptoms of avian influenza in poultry and other birds include:
Sudden death without any prior symptoms of illness
Lack of energy and appetite
A drop in egg production or soft-shelled, misshapen eggs
Swelling of the eyelids, comb, wattles and shanks
Purple discoloration of the wattles, comb and legs
Gasping for air (difficulty breathing)
Nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing
Twisting of the head and neck (torticollis)
Stumbling or falling down
Diarrhea
Specialized BHI swabs for AI PCR testing of poulty and waterfowl are available from HDOA. In poultry, collect oropharyngeal swabs; in waterfowl, collect cloacal swabs. Swabs can be pooled and stored in the BHI media refrigerated for up to 1 week prior to submission to the Halawa Veterinary Laboratory. Please see these instructions and contact Dr. Raquel Wong at the HDOA Animal Industry Division (808-483-7100) to obtain the appropriate media and swabs.
Talking points for the public:
The risk of H5N1 to humans and animals in Hawaii is currently low.
Do not touch sick or dead birds without appropriate personal protective equipment such as gloves, facemasks, protective gowns and footwear.
Join us for continuing education and camaraderie with your fellow local veterinarians and vet techs!
November 6-10, 2024 Hawaii Convention Center, Honolulu, Hawaii
Labs & Workshops 11/6-11/7 Lectures & Exhibit Hall 11/8-11/10 HVMA Hui Annual Business Meeting 11/9 Lucky Strike Social 11/9
Lecture topics include behavior, cardiology, anesthesia, soft tissue surgery, exotics, and more!
Registration is still open for attendees. Remember to log in to your HVMA online account to receive the discounted registration rates for active members. Accommodations will be across the street from the convention center at the Ala Moana Hotel.
The Hawaii Board of Veterinary Medicine has recently increased its bank of test questions, and has reduce the waiting period to retest following a failed attempt to pass the Hawaii state veterinary examination from 90 days to 60 days. While the HVMA had petitioned for a shorter (30 day) waiting period, we are grateful for this small improvement.
In upcoming legislative sessions, the HVMA will be looking into revising the veterinary practice law to allow temporary permittees to continue practicing veterinary medicine during this waiting period following a failed attempt to pass the State veterinary examination.
Currently, Hawaii Revised Statutes (“HRS”) section 471-8(c)(5), titled “Examinations; qualifications of applicants” states in relevant part: “(c)(5) The temporary permit shall be valid until the results of the Hawaii state board examination taken by the permittee are known; provided, that failure of the Hawaii state board exam, the National Board Examination, or Clinical Competency Test shall immediately terminate the temporary permit;”
If you have suggestions or inquiries regarding licensure or regulation of veterinary medicine in Hawaii, please contact the Hawaii State Board of Veterinary Medicine at veterinary@dcca.hawaii.gov or (808) 586-2705.
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