Myster Illness Killing Greyhound Racers

[lizbud]

REVERE, Mass. May 12, 2005 — A mysterious respiratory disease is sweeping greyhound tracks across the country, killing dozens of dogs and forcing owners to halt racing as researchers hunt for a vaccine to control the outbreak.

Dr. Lisa Zerbel, a veterinarian in Massachusetts who is treating some of the sick dogs, said she thinks the illnesses are caused by a new strain of the influenza virus that is more virulent than the common one known as "kennel cough." But other experts say it is too soon to pinpoint the cause.

Wonderland Greyhound Park, in this blue-collar city north of Boston, has been the hardest hit. Since May 4, 16 of its dogs have died from the influenza-like illness, and the track has suspended racing indefinitely and quarantined its 1,200 greyhounds.


Racetracks in Colorado, Iowa and Rhode Island have also reported greyhound deaths over the past month, while other states are seeing a rash of nonfatal cases, according to Massachusetts officials.


"The reason this is happening is because greyhounds travel from track to track, and they may be incubating the illness without someone knowing," Zerbel said.


Autopsies on two of the greyhounds at Wonderland found the dogs died of pneumonia, a complication that can be caused by infection by either bacteria or a virus.

"The most frustrating thing about it so far is it tends to be very silent early on," Zerbel said. "It's not until the late stages that they start to show signs indicating that they need treatment." By then, she said, a sick greyhound may be racing at a track in another state.

Gary Guccione, secretary and treasurer of the National Greyhound Association in Abilene, Kan., said similar outbreaks have plagued racetracks for the past three years.

"A major outbreak like this used to happen once every six or seven years," he said. "Now it seems to be coming on with more frequency and with greater strength. We're in desperate need of a good vaccine."

There is already a vaccine for kennel cough, but the Massachusetts State Racing Commission does not require it, and it is unlikely it would be effective in this case, said Dr. Alexandra Lightbown, the commission's chief veterinarian. In the meantime, all greyhounds at Wonderland are being treated with antibiotics as a preventive measure.

[jcsperson]

Originally posted by lizbud
There is already a vaccine for kennel cough, but the Massachusetts State Racing Commission does not require it, and it is unlikely it would be effective in this case, said Dr. Alexandra Lightbown, the commission's chief veterinarian. In the meantime, all greyhounds at Wonderland are being treated with antibiotics as a preventive measure.

This is correct. This appears to be a new strain. Some have levelled criticism at the state's gaming commission which seems misguided. There was no way of predicting the strength of this particular outbreak.

Ultimately, I think U.S. racing is going to have to rethink its procedures for moving and housing dogs. In Ireland and England they have far fewer incidences of the cough. One reason, I believe, is because the kennels are not on the track premises. Tracks there do not provide kenneling except pre-race quarantine. Dogs are brought in from kennels throughout the region for races and then transported back after each race. The likelihood of dogs of different kennels spreading the cough is much reduced.

I'm sure this will be a major item at the next AGTOA conference.

[QueenScoopalot]

This had had me wondering for the last week, as I've been hearing about the dogs dying, and the track being shut down. The clinic treating them is the one I use, so I'm a bit leery about bringing any of my dogs there until they find out what this virus is. It's about time this exploitation was ended IMO...so many dogs end up being bred to race, and those that don't cut the mustard are done in. It's only the lucky ones that get homes.

[SpiritHorse]

Woodlands in KCMO had to shut down because of this Kennel Cough. They were down like a week but are back to running.

I do hope they get a vaccine to prevent anymore deaths, they go through enough racing as is.

[jcsperson]

Originally posted by QueenScoopalot
It's about time this exploitation was ended IMO...so many dogs end up being bred to race, and those that don't cut the mustard are done in. It's only the lucky ones that get homes.

A greyhound puppy has a better chance of ending up in a good home than most pure-bred dogs and certainly most mixes. Greyhound adoption, despite all its growing pains and strife, is the envy of every breed rescue out there.

Greyhound adoptions have increased by leaps and bounds over the last 20 years and continue to grow. New devotees are introduced to the breed every year. Additionally, greyhound adoption first occurred on a large scale in the early to mid-1990s. These dogs are reaching the average age of mortality in large numbers. As they pass on they are being replaced by younger dogs as has happened in our house where we have lost 3 seniors in the last 7 years. Coupled with the fact that greyhound breedings have been reduced by 40% since 1992, and continue to decline, there is reason to be confident that full adoption could occur as soon as 1997. If adoptions continue to rise and breeding continues to decline, mathematically, the numbers have to meet sooner or later. Right now 95% are either adopted or retained for breeding.

It's possible that one will have to get on a waiting list in just a few years to get a greyhound. There are already groups doing preadoptions, where puppies headed to the track are "adopted" at whelp and the adoptive owners get to follow the life of their future pet from puppyhood, through racing, all the way to the couch.

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