Animal Foot and Mouth

["Barbara B. Peck" <bpeck@together.net>]

Group:

NPR had a short segment on this out break thismorning.

Although the horse is doesn't get the disease, most cloven hooves animals

do, like sheep goats and deer, and some rodents can be carriers (that's scary).

Some domestic animals can contract it (he didn't say which ones) but not show the symptomatic

lesions.

 

The virus can be spread by air (up to 40 miles in the wind), by the breath of an infected animal

(and of course all bodily fluids).  It can also be spread by the tires on a vehicle, your shoes, gloves

clothing, basically the virus can be carried by just about anything.

Plus the virus can live for almost a year in some parts of the bovine body..

Shedding virus from an infected animal puts billions on the buggers everywhere.

 

The Vet speaking about it, said that euthanasia is the treatment of choice for affected animals

(even though natural mortality is fairly low) because of how easily it's spread and once it gets going it's VERY hard to stop.

 

Very scary indeed.

Barb