- Hello Jeff - Dr. Tam Garland, Promed moderator, makes
a great point: how do you have euthanasia by gunshot? He also wonders
why so much money is spent on "depopulation" and not spent on
research for a cure and understanding of this disease.
-
- Patty
-
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- Elk from Olmsted County herd depopulated to control CWD
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- Source - Minnesota Board Of Animal Health News Release
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- The Minnesota Board of Animal Health announced today
[30 Oct 2009] that the farmed elk herd in Olmsted County has been depopulated
and tested for chronic wasting disease (CWD).
-
- In January 2009, a female elk from the herd tested positive
for CWD. The remaining elk in the herd were removed to minimize the risk
of CWD spreading to other farmed deer and elk or to wild white-tailed deer
in the area. Marksmen from Wildlife Services, a division of the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA), euthanized the animals in September
[2009].
-
- [This is confusing. Marksmen euthanized the animals?
Did they use darts with euthanasia solution? I find that unlikely. While
gunshot is an approved method of euthanasia according the American Veterinary
Medical Association Panel on Euthanasia, it seems that calling this depopulation
by gunshot "euthanasia" is extremely stretching the definition
of 'euthanasia'. - Mod.TG]
-
- USDA, Veterinary Services and Board personnel collected
samples [brain] from each elk. Those samples were submitted to the US Department
of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames,
Iowa for testing. A total of 3 additional elk from the 558-head herd tested
positive for CWD, 1 male and 2 females.
-
- In 2003, Minnesota implemented mandatory registration
and CWD surveillance programs for farmed cervidae herds (members of the
deer and elk family). When farmed cervidae over 16 months of age die or
are slaughtered [for meat consumption], herd owners must submit brain samples
[from those animals] for CWD testing.
-
- CWD is a fatal brain and nervous system disease found
in cervidae in certain parts of North America. The disease is caused by
an abnormally shaped protein called a prion, which can damage brain and
nerve tissue. Infected animals show progressive loss of body weight with
accompanying behavioral changes. In later stages of the disease, infected
animals become emaciated (thus "wasting" disease). Other signs
include staggering, consuming large amounts of water, excessive urination,
and drooling.
-
- According to state health officials and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, there is no evidence that CWD can be transmitted
to humans.
-
- For more information on CWD visit the Board of Animal
Health website.
-
- Contact: Malissa Fritz, BAH Communications Director http://www.bah.state.mn.us/bah/releases/nr2009-10-30.html
-
- -- Communicated by: Terry S Singeltary Sr
- flounder9@verizon.net
-
- How much money has been spent trying to eliminate a disease
that has been known to be in the United States since approximately the
1960's and has never been known to transfer to humans or have an impact
on trade issues?
-
- Likewise, while millions of dollars have been spent trying
to eliminate a disease that has no human health or trade effects, how much
money has been invested in curing or learning more about the disease? One
has to wonder at some point what the goal is and what the priorities are,
and are we operating out of fear and possibilities or facts?
-
- The Midwestern state of Minnesota can be located on the
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map at http://healthmap.org/r/00Yy.
-
- Olmsted County in southeastern Minnesota can be seen
on the map at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olmsted_County,_Minnesota. -
Mod.TG]
-
- Patricia A. Doyle DVM, PhD Bus Admin, Tropical Agricultural
Economics Univ of West Indies Please visit my "Emerging Diseases"
message board at: http://www.emergingdisease.org/phpbb/index.php Also
my new website: http://drpdoyle.tripod.com/ Zhan le Devlesa tai
sastimasa Go with God and in Good Health
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