Re: RC: RE: killing rats

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated Tue, 12 Dec 2000  1:44:44 AM Eastern Standard Time, "Maryanne Stroud Gabbani" <maryanne@ratbusters.net> writes:

<< And rat urine carries leptospirosis...curable in people with doxycycline
now....but that used to kill a lot of rat catchers in the old days. Needless
to say, my dogs get their shots regularly.>>

Horses can get leptospirosis, too--but often do not become clinically ill with it.  However, one aftereffect of lepto in horses is an abnormal immune response that causes periodic ophthalmia--more commonly known as moon blindness.  My stallion Abu Ben Surrabu contracted lepto during the two years he spent at my sister's ranch, and subsequently had a ten-year battle with periodic ophthalmia that finally completely cost him his eyesight.  Lepto is also carried by mice, I believe, as well as by wild ruminants.

Heidi