Dogs and ebola

Just listening on the news and they are trying to get the dog of the nurse who died in spain to put it down in case it has ebola!

I saw her on a pic with a dog. I didn't know Ebola was zoonotic

Yes, it is. I really hope they manage to prepare for this!

Oh Lord, as if Ebola wasn't terrible enough.

I'm afraid that in this instance they have to do whatever they must to try to contain this dreadful disease

I agree, Lynda

Yeah unfortunate as it is. I also read somewhere that some people think it's a hoax lol randomers

Oh dear... Ignorance is bliss, eh?

Sounded a bit hoaxy to me as well so went of and found this:

http://time.com/3480961/ebola-animals-transmission/

The major study they did probably wasn't ideal, but it did show that dogs can contract it. Even as carriers, it's a risk they probably didn't want to take, as they just don't know how long the infection lasts and how it's transmissible.

The dog was put to sleep yesterday, apparently. I'd love to say that I think they should have quarantined the dog instead, but I don't really know if that would have been a good idea or a bad idea, as it isn't something I know much about.

Now that I think about it, Ebola might have originated from animals

Eleanor wrote:The major study they did probably wasn't ideal, but it did show that dogs can contract it. Even as carriers, it's a risk they probably didn't want to take, as they just don't know how long the infection lasts and how it's transmissible.

The dog was put to sleep yesterday, apparently. I'd love to say that I think they should have quarantined the dog instead, but I don't really know if that would have been a good idea or a bad idea, as it isn't something I know much about.

I would have thought they would have quarantined it to find out first. Poor woman she will feel so guilty

I think they know so little about it that quarantine wasn't an option.

They don't know, for example, what the quarantine period would be, or how the disease could be passed on.

As awful as it sounds, until there is more information, euthanasia was the only option.

I suppose so, I was thinking with my heart not my head!

It originated from chimps, and humans got it because they were killing all the chimps for bush meat, so getting blood on them. The virus then mutated

Chiara wrote: Now that I think about it, Ebola might have originated from animals

Yes it did. Bats and/or Rhesus monkeys if I remember correctly.
The middle of Africa is this huge, mostly unexplored rainforest that is mother Earths cauldron of nasties. Who knows what terrors are still hidden.

For God's sake people, stop eating monkeys - AIDS started this way too.

Just to show how contagious Ebola is - the nurse has admitted that she touched her face with her gloved hand.

It's not from eating. They catch the monkeys to supply animal testing specimens and contract it from touching the infected monkeys.
Just desserts actually. If only it didn't spread.

Poor dog
In some of the reports I've read the infection control seems a bit lax. A policeman in the US in a house that was being cleaned out without any protective clothing. They told him he would be ok because he was only in there 30 mins. I don't think it's something they should take any chances with

Shisa wrote:It's not from eating. They catch the monkeys to supply animal testing specimens and contract it from touching the infected monkeys.

Disgusting!

Caroline wrote:Poor dog
In some of the reports I've read the infection control seems a bit lax. A policeman in the US in a house that was being cleaned out without any protective clothing. They told him he would be ok because he was only in there 30 mins. I don't think it's something they should take any chances with

That's terrible! that policeman must be pretty scared right now!

The news here says the dog was distroyed to ensure no contamination could possibly occur.

1 case has now been suspected here in Australia today.

Frightening.

Yeah, not something we want coming into this country.  But inevitably it will probably be in every country around the world. People fly from one country to the other without symptoms while they are contagious, land, mix with people and days later.....

I do feel that after Swine flu and Bird flu people are taking this a bit easier. There's no crazy paranoia and walking around in masks and full protective gear.

Here, as well. I'm more concerned for the countries that may not be prepared to deal with it, as that's where it's likely to strike hard.