Pandemic dogs and other pets

[Lucille]

I have not heard of any planning but think it is best to plan before help is needed. I do believe that a coronavirus pandemic will happen and that it will not be far in the future. While of course major planning and concern needs to go to the people who will be infected, and their children, I am also concerned also about their pets, especially dogs.

Homes will be needed for those dogs whose people die from the virus, but also there needs to be some sort of community help set up to care for pets while their owner is ill and then be returned to the owners who survive.

From the pictures I have seen, those who are actively ill may be far too sick to walk or feed their dogs, and if they are quarantined daily dog walkers to assist are probably not a good idea in case droplets from the ill person settle on the dog and they become fomites which can infect the walker.

 

[WebSlave]

I wonder how much of our native fauna population might be capable of becoming a natural reservoir for this virus? Most people don't realize that the bubonic plague is now firmly establish in rodent populations in the Western USA. https://www.cdc.gov/plague/maps/index.html

Actually, after reading up on the number of some serious pathogens being carried by birds, I'm eyeballing our bird feeders now with a bit of apprehension. Makes me wonder how coincidental the "flu season" is tied with bird migrations.

There also seems to be an inordinate number of these serious pathogens found in China, which leads me to doubt the sanity behind the trading pact that as best I can figure out, has the USA sending chicken products to China for "processing".

I wish that the Country of Origin Labeling requirements were universal and sincerely enforced, but I believe the WTO stuck their noses into that. Quite frankly, I never have, and never will be much inclined to eat ANY foodstuffs that China has anything to do with. Their ideas of sanitation are nowhere near what mine and Connie's are. Heck, the last couple times I got chicken from Zaxbys it didn't taste quite right to me. And my queries to them about where their chicken now comes from have gone unanswered. So I just stopped buying it.

You know, I am shocked that malaria hasn't made a comeback in the SE USA. It used to be a big problem here. https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/history/index.html

I think the more I read about the number and types of pathogens laying in wait in the environment around us the more I feel like we are surrounded by land mines just waiting for an unlucky move on our part. When I was younger I was dying to visit places like Africa and tropical american areas after reading accounts from naturalists in those fascinating sounding areas. Now? Heck no! And as for going anywhere in Asia, no, I don't think so!

Well, back on topic. As far as this Asian coronavirus threat, pending worse news, I'm feeling like it might not be as bad for non-Asians as it could be. Of course, areas with a large population of Asian-Americans might be in trouble over this.

Connie is being treated by a Chinese acupuncturist that I am considering talking her out of if things take a turn for the worst locally. Nothing against Chinese, but if they have been travelling back to China within the past few months, I don't know how long an asymptomatic carrier sheds virus particles if they have contracted this virus. As best I understand, when someone contracts a virus, they pretty much have it in their system for the rest of their lives. It is only an active and responsive immune system that keeps it at bay.