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July 1, 2011
RPOA is the only animal welfare organization in Texas that includes "related
public health issues" in our mission statement. We care about animals but
we care about people too.
*Our mission is to be the leading provider of information and assistance
concerning animal welfare and related public health issues, taking whatever
steps necessary to preserve our historic relationship with animals.*
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http://tinyurl.com/3qnee7qhttp://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-breaking-news/2011/06/29/new-mexico-dog-tests-positive-for-plague.aspxNew Mexico Dog Tests Positive for Plague
Posted: June 29, 2011, 7:15 p.m., EDT
Laboratory tests today confirmed Bubonic plague in a Rio Rancho, N.M.
dog. State health officials are alerting residents to protect themselves
and pets against the zoonotic disease most commonly transmitted by flea
bites.
The bacterial disease caused by Yersinia pestis, a gram-negative
bacterium, can spread to people through infected flea bites or when
people come into contact with infected rodents, rabbits and other
animals. The bacterium is endemic to most of the Western U.S.
"The infected dog presented to a local veterinarian in Rio Rancho, N.M.
with a history of killing sick rabbits about a week before illness
onset," says Paul Ettestad, DVM, MS, New Mexico public health
veterinarian. "It had clinical signs of fever, lethargy and anorexia.
The veterinarian drew an acute serology that tested negative in the
state health department laboratory for both plague and tularemia. A
convalescent serology drawn three weeks later showed a greater than
four-fold rise in the plague titer (from <4 to 256) which is
confirmatory."......
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