WoofnHoof Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 It's not because they are 'cute' it's because they are native animals and are vital to many ecosystems, they are also highly mobile and migratory so culling is not simple or effective in this case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 they now have colonys setting up and destroying crops - prior to that they went elsewhere (probably back out to the bush where they hurt no one and no domestic animals). We have had 2 years of bat problems here. I saw my first colony of them a few months ago, i almost crashed the car i was so amazed. I have NEVER seen anything like it, the numbers of bats were amazing and the damage they did was shocking. It looked like those haunted houses on TV with bats flying everywhere. 2 days later they were gone... i dont know how you would cull them? They moved so fast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RottnBullies Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 they now have colonys setting up and destroying crops - prior to that they went elsewhere (probably back out to the bush where they hurt no one and no domestic animals). We have had 2 years of bat problems here. I saw my first colony of them a few months ago, i almost crashed the car i was so amazed. I have NEVER seen anything like it, the numbers of bats were amazing and the damage they did was shocking. It looked like those haunted houses on TV with bats flying everywhere. 2 days later they were gone... i dont know how you would cull them? They moved so fast I've also had them In my backyard for the last 2 Spring/Summers feasting on plum trees, I'm sure one of my staffs eating the bird droppings underneath the trees, It never bothered me but now I'm going to be pretty worried this Summer as I'm sure they'll return I'm gathering It's all types of bats that carry this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoofnHoof Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Rottnbullies as far as I'm aware they do not believe that dogs can catch it directly from bats. I *think* (I'm not 100% sure I need to look into it a bit more) that the horse is the intermediate host and the virus changes within that host which then allows it to jump to other species, humans included. This is as I understand it as the information available suggests that the people who have caught it have caught it from horses not bats. If you are concerned maybe fence off any fruit or flowering trees you have, that is what horse owners are being advised to do to minimise the risks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RottnBullies Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Thanks for that WoofnHoof, hopefully It's not contracted straight from the bats then, I wish I could take them trees down, but they're massive and I rent Maybe I will temp fence around them while they're coming Into fruit and hopefully they won't spread their droppings too far out. They're damn messy though drop and waste more than they eat, I'm forever picking up sloppy fruit of the ground! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everythings Shiny Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 (edited) I went to a seminar tonight on Hendra. The horse who 'recovered' had to be PTS as it was a carrier, it survived yes, but was still a risk to everyone else. I'd say its the same for the dog too ETA There is also a vaccine in the works. Edited July 26, 2011 by Everythings Shiny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danielle Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 The reason they won't cull the bats has nothing to do with the greenies etc. Believe it or not, bats are the most prolific animal on the face of the planet, they are more common than ants. There is no point in culling colonies, they would re colonise within a few days, it's a pointless exercise. Ben Cunneen was my vet, he did the EI shots and microchipping on my horse Zac, sadly Hendra virus killed him a few years ago. His assistant who contracted Hendra virus but survived is still sick, she suffers chronic pain and fatigue, she has never fully recovered and lives one day at a time. The virus could come back and claim her life at anytime and she's fully aware of this. It's incredibly sad. The only thing we can do is work on a vaccine. Culling bats won't work. A friend of mine works for the CSIRO and has told us that a vaccine for horses is the best measure as it cuts out the middle host, therefore protecting both horses AND humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everythings Shiny Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Another thing mentioned last night is that beginning a cull on bats will increase the risk of Hendra. Put something under stress, and it's more susceptible to disease. That rule applies here. It's a scary thing, but I think animal owners just have to be sensible. No one knows yet if other animals will be intermediate hosts. If you know or even suspect there are bats around, leave them alone, do not try to scare them away. Make sure your pets feed and water are not in the areas under trees etc. Last nights DPI meeting turned into a s***storm basically as people are panicking and abusing the bat expert, the two Department of Primary Industries vets and anyone who basically talked. I can understand being concerned. I went as a horse owner foremost, vet nurse secondary. But there is still so much not known yet about this disease that I think we need to be vigilant but not panic just yet. Biggest problem is that the virus sheds up to 3 days before symptoms occur. Death (in the horses) is usually in 48 hours, but can be anywhere up to 4 days. Biggest threat with Hendra is from June to October as it is around the bat birthing season (also can be earlier due to weather etc - ie fruit trees blossoming etc = higher risk of Hendra outbreak) Unfortunately, this disease is going to be here no matter what happens. Just a thing I want to mention to any horse owners here (I know most of us are dog owners but there are some of us horse people ) If you have a case of suspected Hendra, DPI is recommending removing the HEALTHY horses away from the sick and calling your vet ASAP. It is spread via touching secretions ie horse has runny nose, other horses sniffs face. DPI do not want people trying to move a possible infected horse if at all possible, mainly for human protection. Sorry for the long post, just wanted to share what was said at the seminar last night Stay safe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted July 26, 2011 Author Share Posted July 26, 2011 If you get this message in time there is going to be an interview with the owner of the Kelpie at 8.30. this morning. It is on the ABC radio but not the more formal ABC. Sorry I don't know more about it. But this ABC Radio does have talk back radio if that is of any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoofnHoof Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Sounds like an interesting seminar ES! I'm thinking about going to the one up here tomorrow night but if I'm going to be surrounded by a bunch of screaming banshees maybe I'll just stay at home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everythings Shiny Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 WnH - Honestly wasn't worth going to. We left early as it turned into a mud slinging contest All that was said was stuff we already knew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lavendergirl Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 For anyone who is interested Channel 7 Brisbane news tonight at 6pm will have an interview with the owners of the kelpie who will be put down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubiton Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 So how do they know that if they cull all that stuff will happen - has it been tried? on another forum someone knew fruit grower who use to cull one or two bats and the rest of the colony would go elsewhere since they have not even been able to do that the colonys just move on in. But for those who lose their pets how is it fair and the bats they wont even test one or even one colony to see whats going on and if they are infected. They cull kangaroos when they become too prolific in populated areas why are bats so different? And as for ecosystem how did it go on before they appeared in populated areas and how does the rest of the country handle it if the bats are the one and only important creature in it. Somewhere it was mentioned the animals are put down due to national policy in regard to disease but how are the bats immune from this. I just dont think killing horses and dogs and whatever else ends up proving positive and hoping for the best for humans while watchign the bats go by is all that fair - to those on ths board how would you feel if your pets were positive and DPI said they were going to kill them all no matter how healthy they seemed. Think of it from that direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Baggins Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 A friend of mine's son is very involved with the Hendra virus. He workd for CSIRO he goes around the world lecturing on it and the Flu virus. He is a fasinating speaker to listen too, very dry stats and figures but he presents it an engaing way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lavendergirl Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Apparently also at issue is the matter of informed consent in the testing of the dog. It has been reported that the owners were not aware that they could refuse to have the dog tested and were not informed that the outcome of a positive test would be that the dog would be PTS. Anna Bligh has not helped by saying that the dog could become affected mentally and would be a danger to humans and that human safety must come first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Age Outlaw Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Rottnbullies as far as I'm aware they do not believe that dogs can catch it directly from bats. I *think* (I'm not 100% sure I need to look into it a bit more) that the horse is the intermediate host and the virus changes within that host which then allows it to jump to other species, humans included. This is as I understand it as the information available suggests that the people who have caught it have caught it from horses not bats. If you are concerned maybe fence off any fruit or flowering trees you have, that is what horse owners are being advised to do to minimise the risks. I know they have said that, but I really don't think they know for sure. It worries me because we have a large palm tree on a neighbour's property that gets bats in it, and they drop the palm nuts into our yard...one of my dogs likes to eat the nuts. The chief vet Dr Symons, has said they don't know for sure if dogs can get it directly from bats or not...they are assuming this particular dog caught the virus from an infected horse only because the dog had access to the horses. In my mind this is a dangerous assumption; I remain unconvinced that there is no chance transmission may happen from bats to dogs, and I will be acting accordingly to try and restrict my dogs access to area of my yard where that tree is and bats congregate. If I can convince the neighbour to cut the tree down, that would be even better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoofnHoof Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Ulitmately we don't really know how long it has been circulating in any of the species populations so it's very hard to then acertain the risks, for all anyone knows we have all been at risk for years just either not been unlucky enough to have caught it or caught it and got over it or it may not have had the capacity to jump to humans until recently. Lots and lots of unanswered questions that's for sure, I don't really see a lot of answers ahead either as if it's possible for owners to refuse testing then more and more owners will be choosing to do so rather than risk losing their animals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everythings Shiny Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 According to the seminar, they ran trials where they had infected bats in cages above different species of animal, and the horse was the only one infected. As for the culling, they tried it near a school somewhere that built near a bat colony (for fears of lyssa virus) and once they started a cull, they had an outbreak. Unfortunately, we may have started this by moving into their habitats and destroying it. If we take precautions, thats a good thing, no sense panicking yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 If the dog showed no physical signs, why was it tested in the first place? Has every known species been tested from the said environment of every verified case? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoofnHoof Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 I think the testing of other animals on affected properties is only a pretty recent development. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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