| I can't believe this is not being widely discussed... There is a virus in nearly every state of Australia that is highly contagious.
ATM, Qld is being obliterated with it. For those who are not familiar with the finer points, here they are... SYMPTOMS
High temperature, vomiting, lethargy, scouring, orange tinge to faeces.
NOTE - NOT ALL DOGS SHOW THE SYPTOMS.
This does NOT mean your dog hasn't contracted it! DURATION OF SYMPTOMS
Varing from 2 to 4 days. Temp up to approx 40 degrees lasting up to 48 hours. TREATMENT
Recommendation is to withdraw food for 24hrs.
Fluid replacement.
Unless secondary infection, antibiotics ineffective.
Recommence feeding smaller split bland meals for next few days, is: rice with small amount of meat. HOW DOES IT SPREAD?
Airborne and faeces.
It is in the dog's body fluid, so sneezing, coughing, faeces and blood could all be contaminates.
Conduits might include air cond, water, ground, saliva, etc... HOW LONG IS A DOG CONTAGIOUS?
Good bloody question!
Conflicting reports but around the 10 days mark.(MAYBE!)
Gestation period...2 to 7 days.(MAYBE) BIOSECURITY MEASURES
The virus is not that hardy compared with some others, having said that, it can survive in the ground for MONTHS.
You need to wash out with high grade disinfectant or BLEACH.
Use bleach to immediately disinfect ground where dropping were.
Wash hands regularly.
Wash dishes and equipment with disinfectant - rinse. HERE ARE THE BIG ISSUES
How do you stop reinfection?
How can you be sure if you go racing your dog won't be infected?
How can you be sure if you go trialling your dog won't be infected?
How does anyone know that they are unwittingly exposing dogs to infection thinking their dog is OK because of no symptoms? How long is a piece of string? It is a potential merry-go-round of disaster.
Apparently this started in WA months ago and there are now reports of reinfection. So, the question is how is this stopped?
Although it is not regarded as a leathal virus, it has decimated kennels in Qld and has the potential to keep doing it.
It has now reached epidemic proportions.
If you don't believe me just take a look at s/e Qld scratchings. The solution?
Well, is it time to seriously consider having a break from racing, thinking of the industry's long term health?
In the short term, it's going to be painful but hopefully we'll get over it quickly? Consider that at present we can barely fill race meetings with full fields the real possibility with a contagious virus of this magnitude is there will be cancelled meetings and ongoing warfare against reinfection and decimation. Has it reached a time where the Greys should do what the horses did with the Equine Virus??? Close the industry down for 4 weeks?
Hopefully, 4 weeks is enough time for all dogs that get infected and reinfected to get over it?
Everyone self quarantine?
Pay everyone the $60 appearance money per dog to feed their animals?
Totally disinfect all race and trial tracks including track, kennel blocks, empty out yards!!!
PTB ramp up pathology testing to determine incubation and contamination periods and hope those results will marry with the 4 weeks shutdown and everyone can get back to racing their dogs without welfare issues? *Anyone who has young puppies on their property please take extra care with cross contamination as it can be debilitating to young ones.
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