COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dr. Dennis Summers, DVM, has been named Chief of the Division of Animal Health. He will serve as Ohio’s State Veterinarian. The announcement was made by Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Director Dorothy Pelanda. Summers replaces Dr. Tony Forshey, who died Nov. 26.

In a separate appointment, the ODA named Dr. Kristy Shaw as Emergency Preparedness and Disease Programs Coordinator. Shaw will support all functions of Ohio’s State Veterinarian and maintain her role as Emergency Preparedness and Disease Programs Coordinator to ensure the health and safety of Ohio’s livestock interests.

Summers first joined ODA in 2014 as a field veterinarian for the Division of Meat Inspection, then was transferred to ODA’s Division of Animal Health in the same capacity in 2015. He was appointed to the position of Assistant State Veterinarian in 2018 and then Interim State Veterinarian in 2021.

Prior to his service at ODA, Summers was a private practitioner in Vermont, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Summers was born and raised in Muskingum County in Ohio and attended OSU, majoring in Animal Sciences. He earned his DVM degree in 2006.

In 2019, Summers successfully passed the board-certification examinations from the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine (ACVPM). This earned him the status of Diplomate from the ACVPM. 

Shaw received her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Sciences and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Ohio State University. She has experience as a private practice and field veterinarian with ODA’s Division of Meat Inspection.

The two quickly went to work after their appointments and are holding meetings for small swine producers, alerting them to the dangers of African Swine Fever. The meetings will be held at Ohio County Extension offices in Clinton County (Jan. 12), OSU’s Agricultural Technical Institute (Jan. 19), Champaign County (Feb. 2), and Putnam County (Feb. 16).

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral pig disease. There is no vaccine or treatment available.

According to Summers, U.S. pork producers must take the necessary steps to protect their farms and the domestic pork industry from the threat of ASF. Such an infiltration of this disease, he says, “would likely eliminate the entire export market to zero for an unknown amount of time. Timeliness is essential to preventing the spread of ASF.”

Signs and symptoms of ASF in pigs include high fever, decreased appetite and weakness, red, blotchy skin or skin lesions, diarrhea and vomiting, coughing and difficulty in breathing.

Anyone seeing any of these signs in the herd should contact the herd veterinarian or call your state or federal animal health officials. Call USDA’s toll-free number at 866-536-7593 for appropriate testing and investigation.

ASF was first discovered in Kenya in 1921 and is now in most of sub-Saharan Africa and some areas of West Africa. Currently it is also found in areas of Eastern Europe, Belgium, China and Vietnam. It has never been found in the U.S., Canada, Australia or New Zealand.

At these meetings, producers will learn the signs of African Swine fever and what to do if the disease affects the herd. The program will address the steps needed to take, the state and federal response, and biosecurity planning.

The meeting is for small swine producers and veterinarians with swine clientele. Presentations at each location run from 6-7:30 p.m. There is no cost to attend, nor is a RSVP required.

For more information about this gathering contact Dr. Kristy Shaw at 614-728-6253 or kristy.shaw@agri.ohio.gov.