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WORLD — As the world braces for the latest
terrorist campaign of biological warfare, people are scrambling to learn
more about what could pose a threat to their lifestyles.
Environmental terrorism is particularly horrible, since—as the name
suggests—the devastation is not limited to the battlefield, nor the
buildings, nor even the citizens of a nation; but instead, it affects
the very soil of our planet.
Following the initial Sep. 11 terrorist
attacks, there have been dozens of reports of exposure to the anthrax
bacteria and several deaths. As medical experts begin conveying
information to the public about the disease, so, too, are the
veterinarians educating people with concerns for animals.
Can dogs get anthrax?
In a word: yes. But experts are
quick to reassure pet lovers that it is highly unlikely. Anthrax
is primarily a disease that strikes livestock and has not been
documented in other animals for at least 15 years [on the U.S. east
coast], according to veterinarians in Virginia. As for dogs in
particular, there has only been one documented case ever in the United
States ("Scooby Doo" in Boca Raton, FL).
Even beyond that, there is some
evidence that suggests that certain canines may be immune to Bacillus
anthracis. Medical journals show that wild dogs in South
Africa do not contract anthrax, even after eating a carcass infected
with the spores.
"If
you can say anything nice about anthrax, it's that dogs are not
as susceptible to it as livestock."
— Jacob Casper, Maryland Department of Agriculture |
Can Dogs Transmit
Anthrax?
This is largely the reason for
veterinarians' study of the disease in animals. Anthrax is
identified as being zoonotic, meaning that it can be transmitted from
animals to people. In addition to anthrax, zoonotic diseases include the
plague, tularemia, hemorrhagic fevers, brucellosis, botulism,
foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever and avian influenza.
Of that long list of afflictions,
anthrax is the least communicable, according to Bruce Akey, chief
of lab services for the Virginia Department of Agriculture.
Can Cats Get Anthrax?
There isn't a whole lot of
documentation as to the effects of anthrax on cats, birds, ferrets and
other household pets. But according to The Washington Post,
recent satellite photos of Osama bin Laden's camps have shown that the
terrorists have been experimenting on small animals with toxins.
Intelligence reports document the presence of animal carcasses around
the training camps. |
This is either a microscopic image of Bacillus anthracis, or it's a pair of moldy frankfurters. In either case, keep your dog away from the stuff. (Photo: Oregon State University)
When Should I Panic?
Trick question—the answer is never!
But if you have sufficient reason for concern, such as one man who realized
that he had taken his three dogs to the Capitol around the time of the
anthrax contamination, look for the following symptoms:
Symptoms of Anthrax
Veterinarians
can only surmise that symptoms of anthrax would probably be similar to
those in humans: for inhalation cases, pneumonia, and for skin exposure,
lesions that turn black.
Should I Put My
Dog/Cat/Pig on Cipro?
When the first reports of Anthrax
contamination came in, Bethesda resident Jane Bedrick ordered a gas
mask, protective hazmat suit and gloves for herself. Then she
called her veterinarian and immediately got a supply of Cipro for her
pet Woody.
This may be a bit extreme.
Although The Scoop wouldn't presume to give out fashion tips
regarding the wearing of hazmat suits and gloves (you'll probably need a
yellow, vinyl purse to go with the ensemble), we will say that most pets
don't require any special inoculations.
The experts agree that
administering antibiotics to animals as preventive medicine is not a
good idea. Vets say that doing so could make them resistant to
treatment.
And as a final note: please don't
try to put a gas mask on your dog! Believe it or not, it has
been considered. Colonel Larry G. Carpenter, chief of veterinary
services at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, said the military gave up
experimenting with gas masks for dogs a long time ago. The masks
require a tight seal to be effective, which not only would prevent dogs
from smelling and being able to cool themselves by panting, it would
also make them look and feel absolutely ridiculous.
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