The Death Sentence

[my miss storm cat]

Sad all the way around.

What would you do?

From Virtual Form Guide.....
http://www.virtualformguide.com/cgi-...0814hendra.txt


Hendra Owner to Fight Euthanasia Order
(no author listed)


A Queensland horse breeder says he will continue to fight an order to euthanase his racehorse after it recovered from the potentially deadly Hendra virus.

Warren Small's horse, Tamworth, recovered after contracting the Hendra virus early last month in an outbreak at the Redlands Veterinary Clinic on Brisbane's bayside.

The Queensland government has issued a deadline of 5pm (AEST) for the horse to be put down under national guidelines to stop the potential spread of the disease.

Two staff members from the clinic - a veterinarian and a senior vet nurse - remain in hospital after becoming infected.

Four horses at the clinic died, along with another two on a Proserpine property in the state's north that also were infected with the virus.

Mr Small said he would not put his horse down and it should instead be quarantined for 12 months and studied.

He said he would continue appealing to the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPIF) to reverse the directive after he had sought legal advice but was told there was little he could do.

"I'm not giving up at all," he said.

"And I'm going to make sure whoever's made the decision, whoever's behind it, is going to be accountable one way or the other."

A DPIF spokesman said officers would be sent to euthanase the horse on Friday if Thursday's deadline was ignored.

Premier Anna Bligh said while she understood Mr Small was "very distressed", it was important to protect the community.

"There is a very serious concern that this horse could have a relapse of this disease," Mr Bligh told reporters on the Gold Coast.

"This disease has already seen two people hospitalised and in a very serious condition.

"I think most people in the industry understand while it's very sad, protecting the industry does involve these sorts of very difficult decisions."

Redlands Veterinary Clinic owner David Lovell said he supported the horse's destruction, especially as his two staff members remained critically ill.

"These people were innocently doing something with the horse and became critically ill as a result of it," he said.

"So from that point of view I have to support the unfortunate course of action that has to be taken."

Meanwhile, Mr Lovell said he expected his clinic to be declared Hendra free on Sunday, following a final round of tests.

[Riot]

There is no question. Absolutely euthanize the horse.

[paisjpq]

forgive me because I am not really familiar with this virus, and the article leaves out some details that would be helpful to know...but I'm confused
when an animal recovers is it still considered an active carrier?
if so, why was the horse allowed to recover in the first place? why didn't they just put him down as soon as the diagnosis was made?
Quite frankly, if he is no longer contagious I see no reason to euthanize....however if the virus is something like EIA, that can't be "cured" then he's got to go...sucks, but it's a question of greater good. I've known perfectly healthy horse that flunk a Coggin's test and have had to be put down.

[my miss storm cat]

I don't have the answers, Thebby... was hoping someone could shed some light.

* * *

Virtual FormGuide

Racehorse Put Down Post-Hendra Virus
(no author listed)

A racehorse who survived the deadly Hendra virus has been put down because he posed a biosecurity risk.

Three-year-old colt Tamworth recovered from the virus that claimed the lives of four other horses at Redlands Veterinary Clinic on Brisbane's bayside.

But a Queensland Department of Primary Industries spokesman confirmed the horse had been given a lethal injection at 10.15am (AEST).

Experts from the Australian Animal Health laboratory in Geelong are now conducting a detailed post-mortem examination.

Biosecurity Queensland chief veterinary officer Ron Glanville said there was no other option.

"This is one of the world's deadliest viruses ... we know the percentage of recovered animals continue to carry the virus but we don't know what proportion that is," Dr Glanville told ABC radio.

"But we certainly know that it happens and there has been reappearances of the virus in that animal and that is a real risk.

"It was a tough decision ... but largely based on the opinion from the medical profession ... the risk to humans outweigh keeping the animal alive in the long term."

Dr Glanville said a range of tissues would be sampled under "very strict biosecurity restrictions".

Tamworth was put down against the wishes of his part-owner Warren Small, who was not convinced his horse was a threat.

"The last two generations of his family were 100 per cent runners to winners," Small told the ABC.

"It's impossible to say the horse was going to be winning races - it was debatable in what class of race he was going to win, but I did get offered after the races last start $195,000 to buy him."

[FGFan]

Sad and puzzling indeed.

I looked up hendra with the cdc here's the link:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/m...ages/nipah.htm

One of the three Hendra virus infections was marked by a delayed onset of progressive encephalitis. Serious nervous disease with Nipah virus encephalitis has been marked by some sequelae, such as persistent convulsions and personality changes.

So it seems that it really was the right thing to do, particularly as it is zoonotic and is transmitted through secretions, very hard to control.

Kind of sounds a bit like distemper, although different infectious disease. But I took in a litter of rescue pups that ultimately displayed distemper, never again took any animals from that shelter.
One pup never got sick or displayed any kind of symptoms, but a few weeks later began having seizures. After talking with the vets, while they may recover at best they are neurologically impaired for the rest of their lives, and they really couldn't say wether or not they may be carries. So althugh she seemed perfectly healthy except the seizures I had to put her down. This was my first and hopefully last experience with distemper.

Actually it was a nightmare for me as I had to nolvasan my entire garage and surrounding area. Thankfully I am not one that takes in rescues and lets them interact with others, I am one of the few that strictly quarantine, even going to the extreme of changing shoes and clothes. But I did have another litter of Dogo Mastiffs at the time that were very far away from the rescue litter and then had to revaccinate even all my adult dogs.

Really sad though for the owner that fought so hard, I can truthfully say I know the feeling.

[magic_idol]

Will spread my very limited knowledge on the virus.
Spread by bats, transfer is bat to horse which basically froths up has epilepictic spasims then dies !!!spread from horse to person in close contact with horse who can then die as was the case of a trainer & just recently another person was infected,
Cannot be as far as known transfered from person to person ,was named hendra virus which was were the first outbreak was reported which is a suburb of Brisbane (next to doomben & Eagle farm hence high concerntration of horses ) remains active in horses even though horse has recovered & yes they should have put it down as soon as discovered.

The main fear is if the virus mutates & travells human to human & what about the worker who got it that they released a week later does it stay with him ?

[Riot]

Queensland horse vet dies of Hendra virus (AAEP)

A Brisbane vet who fell ill with the deadly Hendra virus has died. Veterinarian Ben Cunneen contracted the virus in July after treating horses at Redlands Veterinary Clinic. Dr. Cunneen was a graduate of the University of Sydney and joined the Redlands clinic in the mid-1990s.

[magic_idol]

Originally Posted by Riot

Queensland horse vet dies of Hendra virus (AAEP)

A Brisbane vet who fell ill with the deadly Hendra virus has died. Veterinarian Ben Cunneen contracted the virus in July after treating horses at Redlands Veterinary Clinic. Dr. Cunneen was a graduate of the University of Sydney and joined the Redlands clinic in the mid-1990s.

yes was very sad Died about 3 weeks ago, Out of the 6 people that have caught it 3 have died

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by magic_idol

yes was very sad Died about 3 weeks ago, Out of the 6 people that have caught it 3 have died

Yeah very sad. I'd read about it too but get a little tired of being the one to always post doom and gloom so didn't bother.

Anyway, a shame.

[magic_idol]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Yeah very sad. I'd read about it too but get a little tired of being the one to always post doom and gloom so didn't bother.

Anyway, a shame.

well you could have said out of the 6 that caught the Hendra Virus 3 Lived ,Bet they feel Very Lucky & it was good news to them that they survived

[Riot]

Does anyone know how the other three are doing? Are they still in ICU, etc ... I can't find anything. If anyone hears anything, let us know. Very, very sad for everyone involved.

[magic_idol]

Originally Posted by Riot

Does anyone know how the other three are doing? Are they still in ICU, etc ... I can't find anything. If anyone hears anything, let us know. Very, very sad for everyone involved.

They are fine Fully recovered the last one was realsed after spending a week in hospital the prob is the bats that spread the virus are still flying around