I remember, about 1 year ago, reading that the elk that were dying in Wyoming were on game farms. Is this consistent with what you heard from your friend?
More Animals Sickened by Poison near Jackson (WY) Associated Press JACKSON (AP) - More than 20 dogs have now been sickened or killed after eating poisoned hot dogs investigators believe were meant for wolves.
The latest illnesses brings the tally to 21 dogs stricken by the poison in Wyoming and Idaho in the past two months. The first sick dog was found in Teton County in March.
Authorities have discovered hot dogs cored and then filled with a highly toxic pesticide, which looks like black table salt. They have speculated that the baits were put out to kill wolves - not pets.
Riverton residents Jim and Nancy Barrus almost lost their black lab Sammy recently after the dog apparently ate one of the poisoned hot dogs near a scenic turnout on Togwotee Pass.
Sammy is recovering after throwing up and receiving two shots of an antidote for the poison, his owners said. Jim Barrus had not heard of the poisonings or seen warnings to keep a close eye on pets. He urged law enforcement to step up education efforts, but acknowledged that will not be easy.
"How do you get the word out to the unsuspecting person like me?" he said. A $20,000 reward is now being offered for information leading to an arrest in the case.
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Chronic Wasting Disease Moves South in Colorado
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Chronic wasting disease has been found for the first time in the Colorado Springs area, the southernmost advance of the ailment in Colorado.
An emaciated mule deer buck that was found dead in the southwest part of the city tested positive for the disease, state Division of Wildlife spokesman Todd Malmsbury said May 3.
The deer was at least 40 miles south of the nearest previous discovery of the disease, Malmsbury said.
The find was unexpected, but the distance of the latest leap in the disease was not unusual, he said. “We’ve seen larger jumps on the map than this,” Malmsbury said.
The disease had earlier been found in northeast and northwest Colorado. It has also been found in wild deer and domesticated elk herds in 11 other states and Canada.
Chronic wasting disease creates sponge-like holes in the brains of deer or elk, causing the animal to grow thin, act abnormally and die. It is a prion disease, similar to mad cow disease.
There never has been a known case of it being transferred to humans or livestock, but people are cautioned not to eat the brain, nervous tissue or lymph glands of the animals. A resident alerted the Division of Wildlife to the deer, and tests confirmed the disease on Friday. “We will conduct additional surveillance in Colorado Springs and the surrounding area to determine if there are more animals with CWD,” said Mark Konishi, southeastern Colorado regional manager for the Division of Wildlife. He encouraged hunters to have their elk and deer tested for the disease this fall.
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Salmonella Kills 16 Horses At College Vet Clinic Clinic Closed Down Until Further Notice (PA)
POSTED: 6:13 pm EDT May 13, 2004 UPDATED: 7:53 am EDT May 14, 2004
The University of Pennsylvania has closed part of its Chester County vet clinic because of a salmonella outbreak that has killed 16 horses.
The George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals is located at New Bolton Center in East Marlborough Township, Pa. No new patients will be accepted for the next four to six weeks because of the outbreak. Officials will have to disinfect about 18 of the center's 70 buildings.
The bacteria infection has mostly hit horses. Some of the horses have died during the outbreak. No humans have been affected. Officials said the problem does not pose a risk to neighbors of the facility. Workers will have to disinfect about 18 of the center's 70 buildings before it is deemed safe. At least one building reportedly will have to be scrubbed down and repainted. They don't expect to reopen until July.
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Interesting Salmonella info....
New Drug-Resistant Strain of Salmonella Found Two common antibiotics ineffective against it
By Ed Edelson HealthDay Reporter FRIDAY, April 16 (HealthDayNews) -- Taiwanese doctors have identified a potentially fatal strain of salmonella bacteria that is resistant to two antibiotics widely used to treat serious infections.
The appearance of the multi-resistant strain "is a serious threat to public health, and thus constant surveillance is warranted," physicians at the Chang Gung University College of Medicine report in the April 17 issue of The Lancet.
About 40,000 salmonella infections are reported in the United States each year. Most cause diarrhea and other intestinal problems that clear up in a few days without antibiotic treatment. Infections tend to be more common and more serious in underdeveloped countries because the bacteria is spread by contaminated food and water.
Most of the literally hundreds of strains of salmonella aren't particularly virulent. But the resistant bacteria detected in Taiwan belongs to a subgroup with the scientific name S. choleraesuis that can cause potentially fatal infections, the researchers said. About 600 Americans die each year from such infections.