Ear to the ground:

“I was out of clean laundry.”
– Local employee responding to an inquiry into the thrift store tags hanging out of his shirt

Little wheels, big time

Roadies and downhillers don’t get all the glory at Fort Lewis College. This weekend, the college’s BMX team heads to the 2015 Collegiate BMX Nationals in Powder Springs, Ga. Made up of freshman Rebeccah Sheppard, sophomore Max Bechtold and juniors Brennan Buiso and Cooper Hanley, the team will be looking to improve on its third place showing at last year’s nationals, which were held in Texas.

FLC BMX Coach Jordan Rupe has been working with the core group of Xers since September. This winter’s lack of snow helped the team, as the Durango BMX track was rideable much of the time. The team also supplemented with trips to Albuquerque and Phoenix for training and racing. With such good preparation, Rupe believes the Skyhawks are ready to hold their own against perennial Division 1 BMX powerhouses Marian University, Lindenwood University and Lindsay Wilson College.

This year’s competition will feature a new two-day format, with individual winners being determined by a combination of both days’ points. Team points will be determined by combining the points of the top three riders.

To keep up with the action, check out the team’s blog at cycling.fortlewis.edu.

Downward dogs

Apparently it is possible for dogs to catch more than just fleas. According to a press release from Riverview Animal Hospital, the canine influenza virus H3N2 is currently making the rounds in the United States.

Although it hasn’t yet been found in Colorado or the Four Corners, this strain of the highly contagious respiratory virus is of particular concern since there is no vaccine.

Historically, there has only been one strain of canine influenza in the United States – H3N8, which was first discovered in 2004 after it presumably mutated from a strain of equine influenza. However, this March, the H3N2 strain of CIV was identified in the Midwest. It is believed to have  migrated from China and South Korea where it has existed for several years.

Since it is a new virus here, virtually all dogs are susceptible. Nearly 1,000 dogs in the Chicago area have come down with the CIV with other cases in Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana. Symptoms are a lot like human flu:  fever, lethargy, coughing, runny nose and loss of appetite.

Fortunately, nearly all dogs have made a full recovery after receiving vet care. And in other good news, H3N2 has not been shown to transmit to humans (but there is some evidence cats may be susceptible.)

For more on CIV, visit www.veterinarypartner.com or www.avma.org.