take a look at this

[erin]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7750012/

 

[erin]

what do you think....???

 

[irishmist]

Got to love a responsible journalist that puts rabbits in a rodent category!

 

[cirrustwi]

THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK AT ANYONE, JUST AT THE ARTICLE:

I have so many problems with that article. I'mreallystressed right now, so maybe I missed some things, butI can't stand that proper research hasn't been done. I didn'tsee any mention of whether or not the employees at the pet stores gotsick. One would think, that these people, who obviously hadcontact with these animals would have gotten sick first. Ihave to say this, working in a pet store, you become lax about thingslike washing your hands after dealing with animals and then you go eat,and I've never gotten sick (I've worked in several pet stores beginningin high school, so for over 10 years). Also, wouldn't commonsense dictate that you wash your hands after dealing with a sickanimal? If just to prevent the spread of the illness to otheranimals.

The article blames the illness on kissing your animals, well again, Ihave always been one to give my critters kisses, and I've never gottensick. I mean, I don't go overboard, but...I think most animallovers give their animal a kiss, but I also know not to kiss my animalsif they are sick!

I'm sorry, but these types of things are what give pet stores a badreputation. There are many good pet stores outthere. I know, I know there are also bad ones, but if youresearch and again, use common sense, you won't buy animals from thebad ones where they could potentially be sick. I certainlydon't expect people to report the bad pet stores, as I would LOL, butbe smart about it, if the animals don't look good, don't buythem. It's like if you go to get fish, most people won't buyfish from a tank where 1 looks sick or they see any dead ones (andbelieve me, there are dead fish in all those tanks every day), so whywould they buy a rabbit or mouse or rat or whatever if any other animalnear it looks sick? Or the care looks substandard?

Basically, it comes down to people need to use common sense.Any animal that poops (and I have yet to find any that don't -- if youhave, please let me know, because I want one and I want to sell them,for big money), can carry salmonella. Any animal that hasteeth can bite. Any animal with fur can causeallergies. These are things I rattle off daily tocustomers. So, wash your hands after you handle the animaland/or anything that could have come into contact with theirfeces. If you are bitten, wash the area throughly and watchfor signs of infection (the worst bites are cat, those almost alwaysget infected). The list goes on and on, but basically: USECOMMON SENSE!!!! I have to say, I don't necessarily use commonsense when dealing with my animals, I protect them more then I protectmyself, but if they appear sick, I take precautions to keep myself fromgetting sick and my other animals. It really isn't that hard.

I'm sorry this is so long and I went on and on ranting, but things likethis really burn me. I wish people would research their ownanimals more, before purchasing them and continue this researchafter getting them. This research needs to include whathumans could possibly contract from them. Ok, I'm donenow. I think....I'll try to not post here again.Again, I'm sorry, I just don't understand people sometimes.It's not the animals who are to blame, it's the people who didn't useproper common sense and wash their hands after handling sick animals.

Jen

 

[cirrustwi]

irishmist wrote:

Got to love a responsible journalist that puts rabbits in arodent category!

Oh, oh, oh...I wasn't going to respond again, but they put ferretsthere too!! And I love how they put "pets who can carrysalmonella" and don't include water turtles who are the biggest carrierof all. (Again, you can own these, as long as you use commonsense and wash your hands.)

Jen

 

[erin]

I hope i didn't affend anyone ...i was sent thisby my boyfriend , i am scared now ,,,, but i wash and keep her clean asa button

 

[Kricket]

Wasn't there a recent salmonella outbreak and 10 kids or more got sick after visiting a petting zoo at a fair?

And I am glad you caught that about rabbits as rodents...they aren't redents, are they? What IS a rodent? :?

 

[erin]

RODENTS ARE MICE , HAMSTERS I NEVER THOUGHT RABBITS WERE CONSIDERED RODENTS...WELL ATLEAST I DONT

 

[ayglnu13]

Rabbits are lagomorphs

~Amy

 

[erin]

THANKS AMY!!! I WONDER WHY THEY WOULD PUT BUNSIN THAT CATAGORY?? I AM NOT GOING TO STOP KISSIN MY BUN SHE IS WAY TOADORABLE AND A GIFT TO HAVE!!

 

[pamnock]

I think we have to be realistic in the fact thatrodents have been responsible for many deaths and illnessdueto the diseases they transmit including the plague and more recentillnesses including hantavirus in the US.

While incidents are rare, children, the agedand those withlowered immune system response are advised to be cautious.People on immune suppressants are recommended *not* to handle animalsat all.

So yes, while the risk is small, I don't think we should imply thatthere is no risk in handling animals. Those with healthyimmune systems who follow good hygiene procedures are at very littlerisk.


Since many animals lick their butts -- it's probably not a good idea to kiss them on the mouth anyhow


Pam

 

[ayglnu13]

pamnock wrote:

Since many animals lick their butts -- it's probably not a good idea to kiss them on the mouth anyhow


Pam

Ya know what........I NEVER thought of that untilnow....



Thanks....

~Amy

 

[ayglnu13]

Here is a website that shows the difference between a rodent and a Lagomorph

http://biology.nebrwesleyan.edu/Courses/Labs/Biology_of_Animals/Image%20Web%20Pages/Chordata/RodentOrLagomorph.html

~Amy

 

[pamnock]

Excellent photos in that link Amy!

There are also other differences including that fact that lagomorphtesticles are located to the front of the genitals, rather than theback as common in other species.

Pam

 

[erin]

wow !! thanks any and pam!!! ohh and pamseriously I will think twice about kissing ramona on her nose since itsdown there alot hehe so i guess i can kuss her head

 

[erin]

wow !! thanks amy and pam!!! ohh and pamseriously I will think twice about kissing ramona on her nose since itsdown there alot hehe so i guess i can kuss her head

 

[cirrustwi]

pamnock wrote:

Ithink we have to be realistic in the fact that rodents have beenresponsible for many deaths and illnessdue to the diseasesthey transmit including the plague and more recent illnesses includinghantavirus in the US.

While incidents are rare, children, the agedand those withlowered immune system response are advised to be cautious.People on immune suppressants are recommended *not* to handle animalsat all.

So yes, while the risk is small, I don't think we should imply thatthere is no risk in handling animals. Those with healthyimmune systems who follow good hygiene procedures are at very littlerisk.


Since many animals lick their butts -- it's probably not a good idea to kiss them on the mouth anyhow


Pam

This is what I was trying to say, I just ranted a bit and Pam found a much better way to say it.

Jen

 

[thatrachel]

Do rabbits actually carry samonella? I am justcurious. Are there any diseases that humans can transfer to animals?Icky zoonotic diseases! I agree that people should always use commonsense when handling any animal.

 

[cirrustwi]

thatrachel wrote:

Do rabbits actually carry samonella? I am just curious. Arethere any diseases that humans can transfer to animals? Icky zoonoticdiseases! I agree that people should always use common sense whenhandling any animal.

Any animal that poops can carry salmonella. Therefore,rabbits could carry it, however I think you would be hard pressed tofind a case in which it was proved to have come from arabbit. Humans can give some animals flus and colds (I knowthese can be transferred to ferrets and I think to an extentrats). I also know that when I had strep throat, I postedhere because I was worried that my buns could catch it, but Pam postedseveral things about why I couldn't pass it to them. I'll tryto find the link for you.

Jen

 

[zarathustra]

hey wait i have a question... isn't a dog's mouth cleaner than a human's? Why would a rabbit be any different?

This assumes that they haven't been exposed to any diseases that we gave them....