>From: Julian and Jackie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Reply-To: Julian and Jackie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: Re: Wisconsin to Indiana Re: shipping gerbils
>Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2000 20:53:45 +0100
>
>All I can say is that as keepers of rats, mice, gerbils and cavies I can
>safely say that gerbils almost never carry infectious illness whereas
>for the other species it is a major problem.<
Please understand im speaking from the experience of Americans and the
exchange of gerbils in america.
I am aware that even in other species (eg: rats) most of europe has
significantly fewer problems in thsi reguard then we do. But int he USA it
is VERY different.
>1) There are very few infectious diseases and infectious respiratory
>illness is practically unknown.
In the USA illnesses, including ones that can transfer between species are
unfortunatly common.
>2) The diseases that do exist are passed anus to mouth. This means that
>infection normally comes from living on contaminated bedding.
Diseases we have in the USA which cause problems are commonly transmitted by
aerosol. That is, simply by bringing your animals to a show where another
animal is ill can cause yours to be ill even if NOONE handles the animals.
>3) All illnesses are very rare. In fourteen years we have never had a
>case of any infectious disease affecting our gerbils despite handling
>literally thousands of gerbils at literally hundreds of shows. I have
>only ever heard about Tyzzer's.<
Ive seen two occurances of tyzzers in mice locally, once in gerbils. In a
matter of 3 years I have been witness to 4 local outbreaks of
sda/coronavirus (this doesnt transfer to gerbils fortunatly). The east
coast of the USA has had repeated (eg: several times a YEAR in areas) of
Sendai virus whcih affects several species.
>I accept that the situation in the US may be different, but I doubt
>excessive precautions are necessary. As long as people use common sense
>disease should not spread.
Yes common sense needs to be used, but peopel need to understand how
different the disease are that we have here compaired to anythign you have
seen in europe.
Witht he understanding that such disease exist in other rodent populations
here int he USA, and that some of these diseases can transfer to gerbils,
then it is sensical to start aggressively with PREVENTAIVE actions then to
do the minimum, and within a few years have widespread disease in the fancy,
breeders accusing eachother of "starting it", animals sufferign and dying
and peopel not sure how to fix things after they snow ball.
PLEASE dont make the same mistakes that other animal fancies here have
already made. We are going through alot to try to fix things, but nothing
can fix the damage that was already done in reguards to lost lives and lines
and the emotional toll on breeders whose rodentries were dropped their
populatiosn by half withina matter of a week or two.
>I accept that all new gerbils, from whatever source, should be
>quarantined for at least a week.
We've had problems with animals acquiring resitance due to surviving an
exposure, then carryignt he illness for up to 2 months without symptoms and
infecting/killing other animals it came in contact with!
In the rat/mouse fancy we have been doign 2 week quarentines and disease
still spreads. we are pushign for 3 weeks toa full month initial quartines
with 3 months in case symptoms do appear.
ag
>--
>Julian
>
>************************************************************************
>* Jackie and Julian *
>* [EMAIL PROTECTED] *
>* National Gerbil Society *
>* http://www.gerbils.co.uk/ *
>************************************************************************
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