Q: What is the human risk of exposure to the Zika virus in the U.S.? A: Zika virus is transmitted primarily through Aedes aegypti mosquitos (which also spread other diseases, such as dengue fever and chikungunya), though other mosquito species have been identified as carriers. Besides mosquito bites, Zika can also be transmitted through blood transfusion, laboratory exposure, or sexual intercourse, and from mother to child during pregnancy. As Zika can cause microcephaly (an underdeveloped brain) and other brain defects in fetuses, pregnant women are advised to avoid travel to areas where the Zika virus is found. As of September 7, 2016, there had been 2,964 human cases of Zika reported in the United States, with 2,920 of those being travel-associated cases and 43 of them being transmitted locally, as reported to ArboNET, a system managed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There have been no reports of animals infected with Zika. At this time, Zika is not considered widespread in North America. Q: Is there a vaccine for Zika? A: There is no vaccine or treatment currently available for the Zika virus, although there is ongoing research to develop an effective vaccine. Q: Can dogs or other pets get the Zika virus from humans, or transmit it to them? A: According to the CDC, “There have not been any reports of pets or other types of animals becoming sick with Zika virus. However, more research is needed to better understand Zika virus in animals.” While there have been no reports of the Zika virus infection in traditional pets, there has not been enough research done to conclude that it doesn’t occur. In other countries, antibodies (indicating exposure) to Zika virus have been detected in nonhuman primates, and outbreaks in nonhuman primates have occurred. If you are concerned about your pet contracting the virus, talk with your veterinarian about appropriate mosquito repellants and other preventive measures. Q: Could my pet be a “reservoir host” for the Zika virus? A: A “reservoir host” is a long-term host of a disease that generally does not become clinically ill from the disease but may carry and serve as a source of infection for others. Without research, there is no way to know whether any animals are or will become reservoir hosts of the Zika virus. However, Dr. Maureen Long, an associate professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, finds it unlikely. As she told the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, “To our knowledge, the only species that develop a very high viral load of Zika in their blood are humans and nonhuman primates.” The CDC also notes that animals don’t appear to be involved in the spread of the Zika virus. Q: Can I get my pet tested for Zika? A: To our knowledge, there are no diagnostic laboratories in the United States testing animals for Zika virus.. Q: What about risks of Zika from other animals? A: The CDC reports there is no evidence that the Zika virus is spread to people from contact with animals. The Zika virus was first discovered in Uganda in the 1940s in a monkey presenting a mild fever, and while nonhuman primates have the ability to become infected with Zika, the risk of monkeys and apes in the United States becoming infected with the virus is low. Additionally, monkeys and apes must undergo a mandatory 31-day quarantine period when imported into the United States. The CDC has more information about the prevalence of Zika in nonhuman primates and other species. Anyone with nonhuman primate pets or assistance animals, particularly those near areas in which Zika has been reported, should remain vigilant and seek veterinary care for the animal if any illness is observed. Source: AVMA.org A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
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An orphaned baby beluga whale found on the shore of the St. Lawrence River earlier this week is facing an uncertain future, despite the best efforts of the humans that stepped in to help it. A family vacationing in Rivière-du-Loup, Que., came across the whale Thursday afternoon around 1 p.m. The tide was low, so the whale was almost completely out of the water. The family started dousing it with water and used a sheet to protect it from the sun. "We dug a hole so that water would accumulate and its skin would hydrate," said 15-year-old Nicholas Milliard, who came across the beluga with his two younger brothers. "Every five minutes we got it a bucket of water. The water level was dropping, and it was becoming more and more difficult to get water." The Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals(GREMM), based in Tadoussac, was called in and had the whale looked over via Facetime by a Vancouver-based veterinarian. It was determined the whale was female and probably only hours old; its umbilical cord was still attached to its body. Josiane Cabana, spokesperson for GREMM, said what happened to the mother is a mystery. Did she die during birth, was she killed by a predator, or was it something else? All those questions may go unanswered. Milliard and his brothers are hopeful they averted at least one beluga similar misfortune. "We are proud," he said. "We told ourselves we just saved a life, and a rare one at that." Source: www.cbc.ca / Image: GREMM A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
Horace the monkey knows what he likes — and what he likes is making friends. But things weren't always so good for Horace. "He came to us when he was very young," Sarah Carter, founder of the Twala Trust Animal Sanctuary in Zimbabwe, told The Dodo. "His mom had been hit by a car on a very busy highway. He was found sitting on her body, on the side of the road. He's lucky that he got picked up by the right person, who then brought him here." He started off so tiny and helpless. Still, you could tell he was glad to be safe. Horace joined a group of other orphans rescued by the sanctuary, which cares for rescued animals both wild and domestic. That's when his friend-making all began. "Since we had so many orphans at the time, and not enough hands, we had to raise everyone together," said Carter. "They just formed this relationship, which is great." Horace isn't the only monkey like him at the sanctuary. Still, he seems to prefer spending his time around the creatures he grew up with. With the comfort and support of his new companions, Horace continued to grow in both body and spirit. Source: The Dodo / Stephen Messenger A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
People in the city of Conroe, Texas, were taken by surprise Thursday morning when they ran into none other than a young, female tiger wearing a collar and leash, wandering the streets with no owner in sight.As they later discovered, her name is Nala. Even more alarming was the fact that Nala, who is about 5 months old, was captured by animal control officers after coming up to a total stranger, jumping on him with her paws on his shoulders and licking his face, CBS DFW reported. Animal officials also told the news outlet that the tiger appeared "trained." Without knowing much more, this tiger's story is fairly obvious — she was someone's house pet. Texas law dictates that people can't own dangerous wild animals, like tigers, without first obtaining a license, which are not all that hard to get. Sadly, this feeds into the reality that there are more tigers in captivity in the U.S. than there are roaming free in the wild worldwide. There are an estimated 5,000 tigers kept in tiny cages in American backyards and basements, while only around 3,000 live in forests across Asia and Russia, CNN reported. It's outright disturbing how easy it is to own a tiger in America. A man named Cody, who didn't give his last name and claims to be Nala's owner, told ABC News that he dropped the tiger off at a friend's and doesn't know how she escaped. It is currently unknown if Nala will be returned to her owner, or whether or not her owner will face charges for the animal's escape. For more on how you can help change laws about exotic pet ownership and help big cats stay out of people's backyards and in the wild, check out the International Fund for Animal Welfare's Protect Big Cats campaign. Source: The Dodo / Zainab Akande / Photo by Jason Fochtman A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
They're charged with protecting the world's largest tropical rainforest, but for the Amazon's eco-cops, no case is too small. On Friday, an officer with Brazil's Environmental Police Battalion rescued a tiny endangered monkey barely the size of his hand. The agency says the wounded baby pied tamarin was found earlier that day by a resident near the city of Manaus. "The tamarin had injuries that may have been caused by dog bites or by falling to the ground," wrote the military police unit on Facebook. "For that reason, it was referred to a wildlife refuge to receive appropriate veterinary treatment." The pied tamarin is unique to area and has long served as a symbol of Manaus, but the rare monkey species is now endangered due to habitat loss and may disappear completely within a few decades, Brazilian news organization Globo reports. "The pied tamarin has one of the smallest ranges of any primate and is now thought to be one of the most endangered monkeys in the forests of the Amazon," writes the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. "Some tamarins are now isolated in tiny fragments within the city, with no hope of survival if nothing is done." Thanks to the actions of a caring officer, however, at least one special little monkey is now getting the help he needs. Source: The Dodo / Hudson Hongo A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
Walter J. Palmer, the Minnesota dentist at the center of a controversy over killing Cecil the lion, is facing public outrage and protests outside his practice, but the chances of him facing any legal repercussions in either Zimbabwe or the U.S. may be slim. "It would take a motivated prosecutor either in Zimbabwe or the U.S. for him to face any charges,'' NBC legal analyst Lisa Bloom told Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie on TODAY Thursday. "If the Zimbabwean officials go after him, then they would have to get him extradited from the U.S. This would be very complicated." Palmer sparked a wave of vitriol online and a protest that caused him to shutter his dental clinic after he was accused of killing Cecil, one of the oldest and most famous lions in Zimbabwe, without a permit. Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force chairman Johnny Rodrigues told reporters that Palmer paid a Zimbabwean hunter, Theo Bronkhorst, and a private game park owner, Honest Ndlovu, to lure Cecil, a 13-year-old lion that was found beheaded and skinned on the outskirts of Hwange National Park on July 1. Whether Palmer could face charges in the U.S. remains unclear. "That's a tough one,'' Bloom said. "I know that authorities are looking into it. If he brought any part of the lion back, and the lion was obtained illegally, that could be a crime. If any of the $50,000 he paid in Zimbabwe went to pay a government official to do something illegal, that could be a problem for him, but there's no evidence of that at this point." Protesters in front of Palmer's dental practice on Wednesday forced him to close the office and go into hiding. The Yelp page for his practice has been bombarded with negative comments. He also sent his patients a letter of apology. Ndlovu and Bronkhorst potentially face up to 10 years in prison on poaching charges. Both of them were released on $1,000 bail on Wednesday in a Zimbabwe court and said through their attorneys that they are innocent. Palmer, who paid at least $50,000 for the hunt, claims he relied on them to make sure the hunt was legal. "Again, I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion,'' Palmer said in part of a statement to NBC News on Tuesday. "Ignorance of the law is not an excuse here in the U.S.,'' Bloom said. "It's generally not acceptable. Any American who goes overseas, you have to obey the laws of that country, and it's generally not sufficient to say, 'Well, I just relied on the locals.''' Palmer previously had been fined $3,000 after pleading guilty of the illegal killing of a black bear in Wisconsin in 2006, according to court documents. Source: Today.com A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
An "extremely rare" white humpback whale recently made researchers' jaws drop when it surfaced above Cook Strait waters off New Zealand. The white whale was photographed on Monday swimming side-by-side with a buddy, a more common black humpback whale, the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) said in a statement recently. "Only four white humpback whales have been reported in the world," said Nadine Bott, the leader of the boat's survey team counting whales passing through Cook Strait. They survey is assessing humpback whale recovery since commercial whaling ended in 1964 in New Zealand and aims to estimate the size of the humpback population in our waters. Bott said there is a promising indication humpback whale numbers are increasing in our waters. The DOC added it believes the spotted white whale is Migaloo, which literally means "white fella" in an aboriginal Australian language. "Migaloo is the most famous" of white humpback whiles from Australia, Bott explained adding that he "is thought to have fathered two white calves which have been making appearances along Australia's eastern coast. One has been named MJ, short for Migaloo junior." Researchers said they will do a DNA test from a skin sample they got from the whale to confirm whether the whale is in fact Migaloo. The analysis will also reveal whether the whale is albino or whether its whiteness is due to color variation. "This is so unique," said marine mammal scientist Carolos Olavarria, who was with Bott during the sighting. "I have never seen anything like this in New Zealand." Source: ABC News / New Zealand Department of Conservation A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
Opossums are known for their ability to withstand the bite of almost any kind of snake, and now a team of scientists from San Jose State University has managed to isolate a protein from the blood of the little critters that shows promise as an anti-venom. Snakebites Are a Global Problem and Expensive to Treat Poisonous snakebites are a significant problem worldwide, especially in developing countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), recent estimates suggest that over 420,000 venomous bites and 20,000 deaths from snakebite occur each year. However, WHO warns that those numbers could be as high as over 1.8 million and 94,000, respectively, with the highest number of snakebites occurring in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa.1 Snakebite treatment is costly and many people simply don’t have access to it. Most anti-venoms are created by injecting dilute venom into a mammal, which results in an immune response. The animal’s blood serum is then processed and made injectable for snakebite victims. The injected serum scavenges toxic molecules in the bite victim’s blood. These treatments typically run $100 to $150 per dose, which is more than many people in developing countries can afford. It’s Not Yet Known Exactly How the Opossum Protein Defends Against Snake Venom In the San Jose State experiment, venom-exposed mice given the opossum peptide showed no ill effects from the poison, whereas untreated mice died within a matter of hours. According to Claire Komives, study leader, “Basically, the venom was completely neutralized.”2 The mechanism by which the opossum peptide acts against snake venom is not fully understood. Most snake venom contains more than one toxin, so it seems unlikely the peptide works by binding to a single toxin. Komives theorizes the venom protein may bind to the opossum protein, rendering it no longer toxic. Newly Discovered Antidote Could Cost Just $1 Per Dose To create the antidote, the researchers had the protein chemically synthesized. They programmed E. coli bacteria to manufacture the first 11 amino acids of the protein that are known to keep opossums immune to snake venom. Use of E. colibacteria will also make the antidote inexpensive to produce in large quantities. The researchers discovered that their antidote protected mice from the venom of the U.S. Western Diamondback rattlesnake, and also the deadly Russell’s viper native to Pakistan. More research is needed to determine if the anti-venom will work in humans, and the process will have to be refined before the antidote becomes commercially available. But the researchers estimate each dose will cost $1 or less, which is a significantly savings over other anti-venoms. Source: Healthy Pets / Dr. Becker A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
If the bird appears to be uninjured, the best thing to do is to return it to its parents, so look around for the nest in all the surrounding trees. Birds often try to build their nests where they will be hidden from view, so look carefully! If you can find the nest, gently replace the baby bird, and keep an eye out (from a distance) for one or both of the parents to return. It is a myth that the parents will not care for an orphaned bird that has been touched by human hands. If you cannot find the nest and are able to hand rear the baby bird, you'll need to provide a warm, secure place (80°-85°F) and frequent meals. A small cardboard box (like a shoebox), lined with paper towels or a washable cloth, kept on a heating pad or hot water bottle, or placed under an incandescent light bulb or other heating light can work well. However, the heat must be monitored carefully to avoid overheating or possibly even burning the delicate baby bird skin. Never place a bird directly on a heat source of any kind. Baby birds need frequent feeding, every hour or two, from sunrise until early evening. Gently tap the upper beak to stimulate the baby to "open wide." Drop a small amount of the food into the back of the mouth, using an eyedropper with an opening large enough for the food to come through, blunt tweezers, or even your fingers. Most baby birds catch on after the first few times, and start cheeping when hungry and automatically opening their beaks when you approach. Likewise, when the baby stops opening its beak, it's full and should be allowed to rest until the next feeding. Most baby birds develop flight feathers and are ready for release in about three weeks. To see if the baby is ready, cup the bird in your hands and take it outside. If it doesn't jump up and look interested, bring it back in for a few more days. If it takes wing, then it is ready to go! If you are unable to hand rear an orphaned baby bird or if it appears injured (eg, broken leg or wing), call a local nature or wildlife preserve, or an avian veterinarian or rehabilitator for suggestions or transportation instructions. Q & A: What should I do if I find an orphaned baby bird? The best thing to do is to return the bird to the nest for its parents to care for it. It is a myth that the parents will not care for an orphaned bird that has been touched by human hands. Can an orphaned baby bird be hand raised? Yes, orphaned baby birds can be successfully hand raised with dedicated effort. You'll need to provide a warm, secure place and hand-fed meals every hour or two from sunrise until early evening, using a homemade feeding formula. When can a hand raised baby bird be released? Most baby birds develop flight feathers and are ready for release in about 3 weeks. If you take the bird outside every few days, it will let you know when it's ready to go by taking flight. Source: webvet A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
The elephants were on their way to a circus in Texas Police found two elephants trying to keep the 18-wheeler transporting them from overturning during its journey from New Orleans to the Dallas area Tuesday morning. The truck, carrying three elephants from a Florida circus, got stuck in mud on Interstate 49 near the Powhatan exit in Natchitoches Parish, La., at about 7 a.m., according to a statement from the Natcitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office. A “local wrecker service” was called in to extract the truck. The elephants were en route to a circus in Frisco, Texas. Source: Time.com / Olivia B. Waxman A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
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