Race flu may kill your pet: CDC probes possible link to humans

[Mojorabbit]

http://tinyurl.com/7egu5
The devastating and shadowy malady that is claiming the lives of greyhounds
at Revere's Wonderland racetrack may have even deadlier ambitions: lovable
Fido and perhaps even his master. The federal government's top scientists
are exploring whether a deadly dog flu that has ripped through greyhound
tracks across the country -- and is suspected in Massachusetts -- could
leap to humans.
snip

Meanwhile, veterinarians treating sick and dying greyhounds at Wonderland's
gated, barracks-like kennel compound yesterday enforced a strict quarantine
-- one aimed at not only dogs, but humans as well.

[FreepFryer]

1. Planet of the Apes, here we come! (n/t)

[candy]

2. I'm against greyhound racing. We lost in Massachusetts the

last time,maybe this will help end it.

Seeing greyhounds being trained in Spain did it for me. Two of them tied to the back of a VW and forced to run behind the car. In another place they used motorbikes----I was horrified.

[lonestarnot]

4. Against it also, horseracing too! Both cruel sports in way more than one

way! Animals should not be treated like chattel.

[Mojorabbit]

3. What worries me is

the mutation in the disease and how fast it seems to be spreading. I'd hate to see it move over to pet dogs.

[Straight Shooter]

5. I hope its mutation only affects chimps in boots.

Maybe part of the problem is the close quarters of the greyhounds, their stressful life and how it affects their immune systems.

Poor creatures. Racing is a heinous "sport."

[doodadem]

6. Greyhounds/Sighthounds are different

Greyhounds and other Sighthounds (the breeds that hunt by sight--Greyhounds, Whippets, Salukis, Borzois, Afghans, Irish Wolfhound, etc.) are a bit different than other dogs. Their systems are less tolerant to certain things, for instance, you have to be very careful with anesthesia, because the amount that you would give a dog of the same weight, can kill a Sighthound.
It's not that they're more fragile--they are extremely hardy--but they are just wired a bit differently in various ways. So I'm thinking this current flu/virus may be something they are more sensitive to.
We've had 3 Greyhounds off the track, and currently have a Saluki, and a Borzoi crossbred. All 3 of our Greys died in somewhat rare ways (one from bone cancer, one from liver failure, one from stroke complications), as did one other Saluki (cancer again).
We had been thinking of adopting Greyhounds again, but after seeing this, we'll be waiting awhile longer. They are fabulous dogs though.

[Gman]

7. Isolated cases of Kennel Cough are not unusual

but something that seems to be this widespread is highly unusual.