By Scott Weese on Posted in Pocket petsA case report in the Medical Journal of Australia (Pananicolas et al 2012) describes a case of rat bite fever and comes with the typical warning about this uncommon but concerning disease. Rat bite fever is an infection caused by the bacterium Streptobacillus moniliformis (the main cause in most countries) or Spirillum minus (the main… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Pocket petsA Kitchener, Ontario family is dealing with a household outbreak of ringworm, likely contracted from a new pet guinea pig. Ringworm is a fungal infection cause by a few different types of fungi. Some ringworm fungi are able to infect both people and animals, and those can be spread in households from direct contact with… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Pocket petsThe more we look, the more we find when it comes to MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). As people start looking for it in different animal species, it’s often found. We’ve found it in many species already, including dogs, cats, rabbits, pigs, walruses, dolphins and alpacas, so it’s not a big surprise to see a recent… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Pocket petsA Montreal pediatrics resident has expressed concern about rat bite fever in kids. Dr. Karine Khatchadourian described three cases of this bacterial infection in a paper called “The rise of the rats: a growing paediatric issue,” published last year in the journal Paediatrics and Child Health. The article didn’t really present any evidence that this… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Pocket petsA 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… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Pocket pets,SalmonellaIt seems like whenever a hit TV show or movie features an animal, there’s concern about the "101 Dalmatians effect," whereby there’s a mad rush to get the animal for a pet. When 101 Dalmatians was a hit movie, there was a huge spike in sales of this rather unusual breed – a breed which… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Pocket pets,RabiesCab drivers have to put up with a lot of risks, but attacks from marauding rats probably aren’t high on their list of concerns. However, a Ukrainian cab driver was recently attacked by a rat, and the rat was subsequently killed and found to be positive for rabies. The cab driver is now undergoing post-exposure… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Pocket pets,Reptiles,SalmonellaOne more post about illogical and dangerous activities associated with animals and young children and I’ll hopefully get off the subject for awhile. I came across this daycare’s website today. Keep in mind (again) that the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children less than 5 years of age not have contact… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Other diseases,Pocket petsA recent edition of the Veterinary Record contains a case report of Weil’s disease in a person that adopted a feral (wild) rat (Strugnell et al, 2009). Weil’s disease is a severe disease of the kidneys, liver and other body systems that can develop after acute leptospirosis (infection by Leptospira bacteria). This group of bacteria… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Other diseases,Pocket petsCowpox is a disease caused by cowpox virus. This virus is most famous for being used by Edward Jenner to vaccinate people against smallpox (which is caused by a related virus). However, despite the name, rodents are the natural host of cowpox virus, not cows. Most human cases of cowpox are associated with contact with… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Other diseases,Pocket petsRats can be really interesting pets. They can be quite social and are interesting to watch. Being larger than hamsters and gerbils, they can also be more easily and safely handled. They can still bite, however, particularly if they are not properly socialized and/or they are handled by people who don’t know how to do… Continue Reading
By Maureen Anderson on Posted in Cats,Dogs,Horses,Other animals,Other diseases,Pocket petsIf your veterinarian suspects your pet may have ringworm, there are several different ways he or she may test for the causative fungus (a dermatophyte) on your animal’s fur and skin. Some of these techniques are more useful than others in different situations. Wood’s lamp: A Wood’s lamp is simply a special ultraviolet light. Approximately… Continue Reading
By Maureen Anderson on Posted in Birds,Other animals,Pocket pets,Reptiles,SalmonellaA report about the health risks in children associated with nontraditional pets was recently published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The report also discusses diseases associated with animals in public settings such as petting zoos and pet stores. Although contact with pets and animals can be beneficial to growth… Continue Reading
By Maureen Anderson on Posted in Cats,Dogs,Horses,Pocket petsFor more information on ringworm, see the Worms & Germs post Ringworm: Skin fungus by any other name. The photos here show ringworm lesions on a person’s arm and on a cat’s face, respectively. (Photo credits: A. Yu, Ontario Veterinary College) Over the past several years, studies have shown that many environmental disinfectants sold and… Continue Reading
By Maureen Anderson on Posted in Cats,Dogs,Horses,Pocket petsRingworm infection is not caused by a worm at all – it’s actually a skin infection caused by certain kinds of fungus called dermatophytes. The scientific name for ringworm is dermatophytosis, or dermatomycosis. Some of the more common zoonotic species of dermatophytes found in animals include Microsporum canis, Trichophyton verrucosum, T. equinum, and T. mentagrophytes.… Continue Reading
By Maureen Anderson on Posted in Pocket petsThe right kind of pet can be an invaluable source of learning experiences for a child. But there’s always the question of what is the right kind of pet for a child, a family and a household? A dog or a cat is not ideal for everyone. Sometimes a small pet, such as a hamster,… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Birds,Cats,Dogs,Other animals,Pocket pets,ReptilesPeriodically, pet owners may be exposed to blood from a pet. This can range from exposure to small amounts of blood through minor injuries like cut foot pads or broken toenails, to large amounts of blood following severe trauma. In people, there are detailed protocols for avoiding blood exposure in healthcare situations, and protocols for… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Other animals,Pocket pets,SalmonellaWhile most people that want a pet stick to the tried-and-true species, there are a huge number of different animals available. Some make good pets, some are relatively harmless but not suitable for most households and some are potentially dangerous. Hedgehogs probably fit into the latter 2 categories. No…hedgehogs aren’t sneaking out of their cages… Continue Reading
By Scott Weese on Posted in Pocket petsA woman whose husband died of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection is suing a pet store. The suit alleges that a hamster purchased at the store was the source of infection of a person, who subsequently suffered a fatal stroke (unrelated to the infection). The hamster-owner’s liver was donated to the Plaintiff’s husband, who died… Continue Reading
