Rat bite fever leads to pet store lawsuit
A Phoenix, Arizona man is suing a pet store after he contracted rat bite fever from a rat he had purchased. It's not surprising to see a lawsuit following a serious illness, considering people in the US often try to sue for just about anything, but I'm not sure it won't get very far. I don't doubt that the man had rat bite fever, or that he got it from the rat he purchased - the question is, is the pet store really liable? Specifically, did they do anything inappropriate?
"Rats being sold to people should not have rat-bite fever," Heitzman's lawyer, M.E. "Buddy" Rake Jr., tells New Times.
Actually, the rats don't have rat bite fever... rats are healthy carriers of the bacteria that cause rat bite fever. There are two different bacteria that can cause the disease, Streptobacillus moniliformis and Spirillum minus. Streptobacillus moniliformis is presumably the cause here since it's the main cause of rat bite fever in the US. This bacterium is very commonly found in healthy rats, with upwards of 100% of healthy rats being carriers. You have to assume that every rat is carrying this bacterium.
"It wouldn't be any different if they sold someone a dog with rabies," he says. "I'm not in the nuisance-lawsuit business - he was in rough shape."
It would certainly be a different story if the store sold someone a dog that had signs of rabies. It's possible that someone could buy a dog that had been exposed to rabies but which was healthy at the time of sale, but that's pretty unlikely. However, a big difference is that there is a highly effective vaccine against rabies. There is no such thing for rat bite fever. If a pet store sells an unvaccinated dog of unknown origin that could have been exposed, despite knowing the need for rabies vaccination, there certainly could be liability issues. Selling a rat that is carrying a bacterium that we assume most or all rats carry anyway is different.
PetCo did not immediately return telephone calls this afternoon, but in its defense, there is an information pamphlet explaining exactly how to avoid contracting rat-bite fever available on the company's Web site. ...though it seems the pamphlet's best suggestion is to not get bitten in the first place.
It would be better if everyone who bought a rat was given the information sheet, but it's a start. The fact is, the best way to avoid rat bite fever IS to avoid getting bitten by a rat! Proper rat handling is a very important aspect of disease prevention, since you can never rule out the possibility that a rat is a carrier.
Our suggestion: Don't have a disgusting rat for a pet.
Whoa. Rats can make excellent pets. They can also carry infectious diseases. However, EVERY animal can carry infectious diseases, and rats are probably no more risky than most other domestic pets. The key is to take common sense precautions to reduce the risk of injury and infection (though the risk can never be completely eliminated). For rats, this includes selection of a rat that is not aggressive or fearful, knowing how to properly take care of a rat, knowing how to take care of a bite should it happen and being aware of some diseases for which you might be at increased risk because you own a rat.
Image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org
Suspected psittacosis in a pet shop worker
People that work with animals are at increased risk for certain infectious diseases. That's pretty clear. Pet shop employees fit into this group as well, and they may be at particular risk for specific diseases because of their close contact with young animals, birds, rodents and reptiles. A suspected case of psittacosis in a Toronto pet shop worker is an example of this.
A bird in the pet store where this person worked supposedly died of avian chlamydiosis in mid-March (although the initial test results have been called into question). Avian chlamydiosis is caused by the bacterium Chlamydophila psittaci. This organism is relatively common in psttacine birds (parrot family), especially in breeding colonies, but can also be found in other types of birds. It can cause serious disease in birds, but it is also commonly carried by healthy birds. People can become infected from breathing in the bacterium, often from aersolized dust containing dried bird droppings. The disease in people is called psittacosis. The pet store worker developed signs that could be consistent with psittacosis: cough, lethargy and difficulty breathing. However, these signs are still fairly non-specific and could also be caused by numerous other respiratory pathogens. Test results are still pending.
People that have close contact with pet birds, especially psittacines, need to know that they may be at increased risk of psittacosis. They also need to ensure that their physicians know about their increased risk. This is important because early signs of psittacosis are very vague, such as fever and cough. Psittacosis would presumably not be high on the doctor's list of possible diagnoses for the average person coming in with fever and a cough. If the doctor knows a person has contact with birds, hopefully psittacosis would be considered earlier so prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment can be given. This disease is readily treatable if diagnosed early, so awareness of the possibility on the part of the patient and physician are important.
This report also demonstrates why determining a final diagnosis for sick or dead pets is critical. While the diagnosis may not help the animal (especially if it's already dead), it may play an important role in protecting the health of people or other animals. If the bird in this case was not tested, it's hard to say how long it would have taken for psittacoiss to be considered in the case of the pet store worker.
More information about psittacosis can be found in a document from the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians. More information about good management practices to reduce the risk of disease transmission from birds can be found in the information sheets on pet birds on the Worms & Germs Resources page.
Image from: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/04/01/parrot-fever.html
Stop the presses: sick puppies from a pet store!
It should come as no surprise that puppies (and kittens, and pretty much any type of animal) from pet stores can carry infectious diseases. The same can be said about puppies (and kittens, and pretty much any type of animal) from other sources. It's really a question of the relative degree of risk. Particularly when you have young, stressed animals, with variable medical care, from questionable sources, being kept in groups that are frequently changing, the risk of disease increases a great deal. It's exactly these types of animals that are most commonly found in pets stores.
I certainly don't want to suggest that all pet stores are like this - some stores are run by people or companies that genuinely care about the animals, and that take precautions to only obtain healthy, well-cared for animals from ethical sources. Unfortunately, there also are many pet stores that are not run like this, and puppy mills are still alive and well because of it. In addition to having poor sources for their animals, some pet stores compound the problem by not providing adequate animal care.
A recent report about a pet store in Denver, CO, highlights this type of situation. The report describes a number of sick animals from the pet store, failed inspections, critical and repeated sanitation violations, and inadequate veterinary care of the animals there. The store owner seemed more concerned about complaining about "bunny-squeezing, tree-hugging, slimeball animal activists" - otherwise known as normal people that were unfortunate enough to buy sick animals from the store and had the gall to complain - than actually fixing the problem.
If you're thinking about getting a new pet, here are some things to think about:
- If you want a new pet, research your options. Breeders, human societies and local classified ads are alternative (and usually cheaper) options to buying from pet stores.
- Ask specific questions about the origin and healthcare of the animals. Don't accept any vague answers.
- More expensive does not mean better. Pet stores often charge astronomical prices for mixed breed dogs.
- Beware of animals in pet stores that came from "breeders" from far away. They could be from a puppy mill.
- Take your new pet to your vet immediately to identify any potential problems as soon as possible.
- If you or someone in your house has a weakened immune system, talk to both your physician and your veterinarian about any potential new pet. They can give you recommendations about what species, breed, age, and source of animal would be best for your household.
- Buying a pet is never an emergency. There is always time to ask questions, search for answers and look for other options. Never buy a pet of any kind on the "spur of the moment." A few extra days of research could save you years of heartache and expense, and could help prevent members of your family from getting sick.
