🚀 go-pugleaf

charlajw@netcom.com (Charla J. Williams) wrote:

>Robert Kleinschmidt (robk@hal.COM) wrote:
>: Locally, there have been some recent reports about bubonic plague,
>: especially in the ground squirrel population. I don't have a cat,
>: but if I did, I might be a little leary of any small toys of
>: this kind.
>
>Last I heard they'd found it in coyote but not in ground
>squirrels and it was limited to a hot springs area near Gilroy.
>Did something change?

The ground squirrel population in california has ALWAYS been a plague
carrier.  Its the fleas that trasmit it.  Hot spots include Pacific
Grove (all those cute squirrels at Lovers Point?).  I was up at Lassen
Nat'l Park a coupla weeks ago, they had signs out that the squirrels
and chipmunks there are plague carriers.  

>Bubonic plague is not that uncommon in New Mexico.  It's treated
>with antibiotics.  People are taught to stay away from piles
>of animal excrement in the wild.  While one newscast I watched
>here locally in California did give symptoms to watch for, I
>think the news stories on this in general have been negligent
>in not reporting how the plague is spread and how it is treated.


Well, for this long time coastal-california resident, its been common
knowledge since I was a kidlet some 30-odd years ago.
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