I think it's a pimple, but if it's not.....

[BethM]

So this evening I was stuffing my face with chipotle-lime cashews and developed what *looks* like a pimple on the corner of my mouth. I get them sometimes, right in the crease/corner of my lips. I never thought much of it, since it looks like a pimple, and usually goes away in a couple days. Sometimes I worry, since it's always in the same spot (though it can happen on either side of my mouth), but I do have an addiction to salty greasy potato chips, and my face has been a little on the not-so-clear side lately. (Lack of sleep; getting married in 2 months; worried about various assorted things; eating potato chips and cashews like there's no tomorrow.....)

But recently I read (in the chicken pox thread) that rabbits can get herpes from humans, and that it can be fatal.:shock:

So just in case it's a really mild cold sore, how can I be safe around my rabbits? Should I have my fiance handle all the food until it goes away, just to be on the safe side, or is washing my hands before I touch the rabbits or their food enough? I fed them pellets a few hours before it developed, and since I am in the process of switching them to a different food, I touched the pellets when I measured them out (a handful of the old one, a handful of the new one). Should I be worried?

I've had this before, I just washed my hands, but I didn't know rabbits could get the virus. I don't even know if it's a cold sore or a pimple.
I have chronic paranoia, especially when it comes to my furry babies.

 

[tonyshuman]

Rabbits can get herpes from humans? The oral kind? That's scary, since if you've ever had a cold sore, you carry the herpes virus around with you all the time--that's why people with the other kind of herpes can give it to their partners even when they don't have an outbreak! Are you sure it's the same type of herpes that causes cold sores? There are other kinds as well. I hope not because I get cold sores a lot.

 

[BethM]

I don't know, the post didn't specify which strain of herpes can be transmitted to rabbits. I tried to search, but didn't find anything, maybe the search function was down? (I also tried to search for the chicken pox thread, and came up with nothing, but found the post by scrolling.)

Somewhere in my brain, I think there are probably plenty of people who get cold sores and have rabbits with no problems at all.

Like I said, I have chronic paranoia. Sometimes I seriously think I have OCD. It's probably nothing to worry about at all, I just wanted to check in to cover my bases.

I don't want to worry other people with my crazy paranoias, I just wanted to find out if washing my hands before touching their food was enough prevention. ('Cause I do that anyway, so in that case it's all good.)

 

[Maureen Las]

If a person had chicken pox since it is airborne it could be transmitted to a bun by being in the same house BUT

if a person has a herpes simplex coldsore on their mouth they will not give it to the rabbit unless they are kissing the rabbit , rubbing your mouth and then petting the rabbit (stroking his eyes etc). In other word it would be spread by direct contact.
Don't freak out over this just wash your hands if you were touching your mouth and don't kiss your rabbit.

 

[BethM]

Thank you for the reassurance. I wash my hands before handling the rabbit food, anyway. And none of my bunnies like being kissed.

I feel a *LOT* better now!