Mystery Virus Effects US Dogs - Not H5N1 Captain Trips
From May: The devastating and shadowy malady that is claiming the lives of greyhounds at Revere's Wonderland racetrack may have even deadlier ambitions: lovable Fido and perhaps even his master.
Revere's Wonderland dog track has been struck by the deadly contagion. 2 more greyhounds died there Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 18 in roughly a week. In Rhode Island, 13 dogs have died at Lincoln Park. 1200 dogs at Revere have been quarantined.
Dr. Lisa Zerbel, a veterinarian in Massachusetts who is treating some of the sick dogs, said she thinks the illnesses are caused by a new strain of the influenza virus that is more virulent than the common one known as "kennel cough".
The federal government's top scientists are exploring whether a deadly dog flu that has ripped through greyhound tracks across the country could leap to humans. The strain of canine influenza has already popped up in other dogs in animal shelters around the country.
Racetracks in Colorado, Iowa, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Tucson have also reported greyhound deaths over the past month, while other states are seeing a rash of
nonfatal cases, according to Massachusetts officials.
As vets battle the epidemic, state officials are now scrambling to nail down exactly what is killing the dogs -- and to prove whether it is linked to the flu-like killer that has affected an estimated 10,000 dogs nationwide. These include a few hundred domestic dogs as well.
There are two very interesting points in this story. First, "kennel cough" is not a virus, it is caused by bacteria. Second, there is no known "common influenza virus" that causes respiratory disease in canines.
What we have here are two things. First, a virus which jumped species, the first outbreaks were in Florida, which has dog and horse tracks, in all probability this virus jumped species from equine to canine.
Second, as a result of jumping species, this is the 1st incidence of a virus causing respiratory disease in canines and the etiology can be traced to equine flu.
Boston Herald
Revere's Wonderland dog track has been struck by the deadly contagion. 2 more greyhounds died there Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 18 in roughly a week. In Rhode Island, 13 dogs have died at Lincoln Park. 1200 dogs at Revere have been quarantined.
Dr. Lisa Zerbel, a veterinarian in Massachusetts who is treating some of the sick dogs, said she thinks the illnesses are caused by a new strain of the influenza virus that is more virulent than the common one known as "kennel cough".
The federal government's top scientists are exploring whether a deadly dog flu that has ripped through greyhound tracks across the country could leap to humans. The strain of canine influenza has already popped up in other dogs in animal shelters around the country.
Racetracks in Colorado, Iowa, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Tucson have also reported greyhound deaths over the past month, while other states are seeing a rash of
nonfatal cases, according to Massachusetts officials.
As vets battle the epidemic, state officials are now scrambling to nail down exactly what is killing the dogs -- and to prove whether it is linked to the flu-like killer that has affected an estimated 10,000 dogs nationwide. These include a few hundred domestic dogs as well.
There are two very interesting points in this story. First, "kennel cough" is not a virus, it is caused by bacteria. Second, there is no known "common influenza virus" that causes respiratory disease in canines.
What we have here are two things. First, a virus which jumped species, the first outbreaks were in Florida, which has dog and horse tracks, in all probability this virus jumped species from equine to canine.
Second, as a result of jumping species, this is the 1st incidence of a virus causing respiratory disease in canines and the etiology can be traced to equine flu.
Boston Herald
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