[ SHOWGSD-L ] Canine flu
- From: "Anja Heibloem-Stroud" <Anja_Heibloem-Stroud@xxxxxxx>
- To: "showgsdlistnew" <Showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2005 09:05:27 -0700
From: "Cherie Graves" <paragon@xxxxxxxx>
Subject: canine flu
Permission to Crosspost
The New Canine Influenza, Greyhound Disease, Race Flu, Equine Influenza, Avian
Flu
The New Canine Flu, which has killed so many greyhounds is now in the domestic
dog population. There is no treatment and no vaccine. It has jumped species,
(by feeding greyhounds raw horse meat, which was infected with horse
influenza), (horse influenza is avian flu, which jumped species from birds
(avian flu), to horses(horse influenza). The avian flu has now moved to racing
greyhounds and domestic dogs and the indications are that there may be a
potential problem for humans. It is deadly and it is on the loose. It may just
be a matter of time. The CDC is watching the disease.
There is no central tracking agency with report and stat capability for dogs
that will get the word out to all vets in the US.
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/05130505/H3N8_Domestic_Dogs_United_States.html
The domestic dog population is at present risk.
This week on my net groups I saw many anecdotal accounts of $100,000 show dogs
dying while packed in ice and hooked up to IVs, with high temps. No one knows
what is wrong with these dogs and the vets do not know what they are treating.
I think it is Greyhound Influenza or Race Flu.
Show populations are now infected and the majority of veterinarians have never
heard of the disease. Isolated individuals know this but the country as a whole
does not. A few days after exposure at dog shows, dogs are traveling back to
their home states and infecting the local populations. Many dogs are dying
needlessly. It is not kennel cough.
The period of incubation is 2-5 days. It is airborne, can be transmitted by
inanimate objects, and clothing. Virtually all exposed will contract. The
morbidity is 80% with 20% being sub clinically affected and shedding the virus.
The course of the disease is four weeks. There are two forms, milder and very
extreme. Two weeks into the viral disease the dog looks like he is getting over
the cough and then bacterial infections become an acute problem. Oft times the
owner has reported the dog is well, only to find that a short time later an
acute bacterial infection has taken over the dog, in a matter of hours. The
owners think the disease has run its course only to learn it hasn't gotten
started yet, so dogs are dying needlessly.
My vet thinks earlier rather than later treatment with broad spectrum
antibiotics are the best way to treat the disease. With proper vet care perhaps
there will only be a mortality of 1-5%.
The information needs to go out so that all vets will know this is not kennel
cough, so they will not VAX for kennel cough while ill, and so they can monitor
beyond the two week period.
It has been almost impossible for me to understand how in the last four days i
have contacted state vets who have never heard of the new influenza, all the
while, the people with the info on the disease, refuse to release it
nationally.
The AVMA has info that will go out next month. How many will die prior to that?
I have begged and cajoled them to do this, so perhaps we are making some
headway, however, we need info to go out ASAP.
APHIS says it is not their job.
The people who are handling research on the initial outbreak in FLA., are
contacting local, (FLA) BUT not national sources to disseminate information.
Below is a link to a photo album in which i placed the FLA Veterinary Alert and
Advisory, which was put out by the FLA VET MED ASSOC., at the request of the
State Vet. It is not on the state website.
http://photobucket.com/albums/y249/citycolumbus/
In my conversations with the researchers at the U. of FLA. I was told, by the
lead researcher, who owns greyhounds, that they have no responsibility to
provide this info to other states or to other vets. (BTW, Is some of the
research funded by the gaming organizations?) (My state,GA., the state of FLA.,
and three highly placed individuals at Pfizer, told me to call the researcher.)
The researcher said to me that cultures do not need to be done on potential
affecteds, and she denied that the illness is from horses, though she is quoted
in articles as applauding the Cornell researcher who identified it as horse
influenza. The FLA state vet said:"We know it came from horses."
The researcher is working to do a contracted vaccine with " a company." She is
working on a paper. She did not want to discuss the influenza though her name,
email and number appears as the contact source on the state of FLA Veterinary
Alert and Advisory that went out to all FLA vets. I was told by some at Pfizer
that Pfizer is not the company who is helping her develop the vaccine.
The researcher said the FLA VETERINARY ALERT AND ADVISORY should not be put on
the net. However the FLA state Vet, Dr. Thomas Holt, told me, on Fri., Sept 16,
2005 to put it on the net..."Feel free to use it."
AGAIN< I have spoken to state vets who do not know anything at all about this
illness even though the state of FLA. put out memos on the influenza in August
05 in the state of FLA., without notifying other states.
If the researchers are correct there will be a national epidemic. When a
disease is in a mobile population an epidemic is possible. Large groupings of
dogs, such as shows, kennels, rescues, etc., are at risk.
Most vets across the country have never heard of the disease. A treatment
protocol has not been developed. They are treating it as if it is kennel
cough. All vets need to be informed about it ASAP! Many of us concerned dog
people would like to see state statistics compiled on the illness and the
eventual treatment outcomes.
We need you to get the word out.
What can you do?
1. Request that your state vet put this info on the state website, and that he
send this info to all accredited vets in his state requesting that all vets
report the incidence of the disease, diagnostic tests and the course of the
illness to the state. Each incidence of illness needs:
a. Live cultures performed at a diagnostic laboratory
b. Written reports on the disease by the attending vet
2. The AVMA needs to act now and provide ALL information regarding this disease
to all members, pls contact them and ask them to contact all members with info.
Please ask them to put something up on their website.
AVMA email:
avmainfo@xxxxxxxx
WEBSITE:
http://www.avma.org/
3. Put the FLA VETERINARY ALERT AND ADVISORY ON YOUR WEBSITE.
4. Contact the State Vet of Fla., and ask him to provide the FLA Veterinary
Alert and advisory to all state vets, and to all state vet med associations,
and to put it up on the FLA state Ag website:
FLA State Ag:
http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/index.html
Email for FLA state Ag Commissioner: commissioner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
State Vet:
pls contact him:
Dr. Thomas Holt
Phone: 850 410-0900
FAX: 850 410 0915
email: holtt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
We hope this will lead to better understanding of the disease, its mode of
transmission, stats, treatment, and vaccine. WE HOPE THIS WILL SAVE LIVES!
Please help us get the word out.
Deborah Owens
deborahowens2000@xxxxxxx
Anja Heibloem-Stroud
www.pet-net.net/hausmekon/
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