Plague in parts of New Mexico

[dbosman]

The article is short on some facts and details.
If you live or will be in the East Mountains and Santa Fe counties, take simple precautions.

<http://www.newsmax.com/thewire/bubonic-plague-dogs-black-death-new-mexico/2013/06/24/id/511497>

[DCP]

link doesn't work

[Doc Highwall]

Try this.

http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/bubonic-plague-dogs-black-death-new-mexico/2013/06/24/id/511497

[ShooterAZ]

The plague has been present in Northern Arizona for quite some time. In fact, recently a biologist died from it after handling a dead mountain lion. Yes, take the precautions!

[waksupi]

Plague is pretty far spread. It has been in Montana forever, and a few cases pop up each year. If you shoot a prairie dog or ground squirrel, don't pick them up to take a hero picture. That is how the fleas transfer to you, giving YOU the plague!

[DCP]

So is it more severe this year. It does sound serious

[Idz]

The Santa Fe area has had a couple of plague cases every year for the past 30 years and probably longer. The major cause seems to be roaming cats infecting their owners. On the plus side most of the doctors in NM recognize plague and can treat it. I haven't noticed that this year is any worse and we probably have fewer cases because the drought has wiped out a lot of the rodents.

[Bad Water Bill]

Isn't that the same area where the big fire is still burning out of control?

[Wayne Smith]

25 years ago it was in LA. Ground squirrels in Griffith Park were carrying it.

[375RUGER]

The Santa Fe area has had a couple of plague cases every year for the past 30 years and probably longer. The major cause seems to be roaming cats infecting their owners. On the plus side most of the doctors in NM recognize plague and can treat it. I haven't noticed that this year is any worse and we probably have fewer cases because the drought has wiped out a lot of the rodents.
That's the opposite of what I have observed. The drought hurts the quail population but makes rodents, rabbits, etc even more prolific.


Isn't that the same area where the big fire is still burning out of control?
East Mountains area is directly east of Albuquerque. The big fire in the Black Range is some 150 miles to the southwest, but the smoke is so thick up here that the residents of the East Mountains could not even see Sandia Mountain(11 miles) yesterday. I live west of Albuquerque and this morning I can just see the mountain through a haze.

[fouronesix]

Since fleas are the primary vector and rodents are the primary carrier of the fleas- any place that has them, can be a plague area. Of course other mammals carry fleas. Two of the worst carriers around here are P-dogs and rock squirrels.

[Bullshop]

When I skin coyotes in the winter they are crawling with fleas.