Rabies found in BC pup bought at flea market/CA

[G. Festerling]

http://www.torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndG...790875-sun.html

 

The first case of rabies involving a dog in Toronto in at least 20 years has health officials warning about the possible exposure of hundreds of flea market shoppers to the fatal -- and highly contagious -- disease.

 

Toronto Public Health issued the alert last night after learning the day before that an 8-week-old border collie mix bought by a Brampton woman from Dr. Flea's in Rexdale Jan. 13 had rabies.

 

"This is very serious," said Dr. Rosana Pellizzarri last night. "Rabies should be treated as a fatal illness -- no ifs, ands or buts. It's extremely important that anyone who was at that flea market ... who handled those puppies, or who took a puppy home, gets in touch with Toronto Public Health as soon as possible."

 

The telephone number is 416-338-7600.

 

The dog that died of rabies -- bought by Yanitza Arredondo of Brampton -- was one of at least 10 dogs sold by the Dr. Flea's vendor that day, Pellizzari said.

 

 

 

It's possible all those dogs also had rabies, Pellizzari said, adding doctors can't be certain unless the buyers are found and tests done.

 

Another dog sold the same day from the same flea market stall died soon after purchase. But because that dog was cremated, no rabies testing could be done, Pellizzari said.

 

The dog was part of a litter of five pups from a dog in Perth County that had come into contact with a rabid skunk, Pellizzari said. The flea market vendor lives in Grey-Bruce County, she said.

 

Arredondo said she went to Dr. Flea's, at Albion Rd. and Hwy. 27, and bought the pup for her 5-year-old son from a man named "Omar" at a stall run by a firm called Pets R Us.

 

"This is a big mess," Arredondo said. "I went to see my doctor. We've had three shots, one more this Friday and four next week."

 

Arredondo's husband, son and brother-in-law have all had to undergo treatments.

 

"It is very upsetting and I'm worried," Arredondo said.

 

The day after she bought it, the dog became violently ill and was shaking and foaming at the mouth, Arredondo said. She said she tried to contact a vet provided by the seller, but a woman at the clinic said she was booked and couldn't take the dog in. It died the next day in the custody of THS.

 

Toronto Humane Society spokesman Tre Smith warned anyone who may have come in contact with the dogs and the "unscrupulous" seller at the flea market to get checked.

 

"We are not exactly sure how many people came in contact with this animal," Smith said.

 

"But we are assuming it could be upwards of hundreds of people who walked by and petted the animal. They may have been inadvertently nipped on the hand, and thought, 'Oh, puppies just do that,' and it is a very, very serious health issue now."

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[Dixie_Girl]

OMG! I can't believe someone let this happen. To tell the truth, I didn't think pups could get rabies. I thought that's why they wait till they're older to give the vac. Jeeze, someone could actually die if they don't see this article. Someone in the article said, "what a mess", I'd say that would be the understatement of the year.