Exotic Pets: More Than Meets the Eye
In this month's journal Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reports the concern of families keeping certain animals as pets. Specifically, the AAP states young children (less than 5 years of age) should not keep hedgehogs, hamsters, baby chicks, lizards and turtles as pets secondary to disease risks. And not only can these animals carry deadly infectious organisms, but they may also be more inclined to bite and scratch young children. The report goes on state this should also include keeping children younger than 5 years of age (when their immune systems are developing) away from these animals in petting zoos...a favorite visiting place for many children.
I realize there may be some disagreement with these recommendations but since I am all about prevention, I certainly feel it important you all are made aware of the concerns surrounding exotic pets and young children. And to bring a dose of reality to it all...I just recently had a child visit me in the office with salmonella. Where did he get it? He went to the local county fair and briefly walked through the petting zoo and did not wash his hands afterward (my favorite public health goal). He did not need hospitalization but he certainly was set back by the symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea for an extended period of time.
For more information, I encourage you all to visit the AAP website: http://www.aap.org/.
Dr. Jeremy
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By NathanA December 17, 2008 2:56am
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Rats, mice, hamsters etc and cats make great pets because they wash themselves.
I'd still like to know what the other 89 cases of salmonella in children were caused by. I tried looking it up without any luck.
And I agreee that exposure builds a good imune system. After all kids, especially young ones will put ANYTHING in their mouths. I hardly think a goat at a petting zoo is more dangerous than a handful of dirt or a discarded piece of gum that a kid might pick up and ingest. I've seen small children sucking on coins, keys (both known to be germ factories),jewelry, shoelaces sticks.
If we listen to every expert report that comes out we'd be afraid to get out of bed in the morning. How do we 'protect' kids from everything? Put them in giant hermetically hamster balls until they're 16?
By ALC67 October 12, 2008 4:37am
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Rats are actually awesome pets, very clean and very smart, and not nippy at all. My hubby drew the line at a rat for my kid, but I would have chosen it as her first pet. The ones I had would come when you called their names.
Good old common sense comes into play here, wash your hands!! My child is surrounded by dogs, cats, a hamster, a leopard gecko, a sheep, a goat, and horses. She gets a bit fur covered sometimes (lol) but has a great respect for living things, and no allergies.
By beccachow October 11, 2008 1:56pm
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I think this was posted to offer information and take measures like hand-washing to avoid becoming ill not for everyone to toss out their hamsters and live in an anti-bacterial bubble.
The kid at the petting zoo failed to wash his hands, thus he got sick. Most petting zoos have either hand sanitizer or good old soap and water at the exit of the area.
Petting zoos are quite crap for a whole 'nother reason than making humanity ill, but rather, what type of life is it to be one of those poor goats or llamas with screeching adults and children clinging at them? Circuses and proper zoos are afforded my contention as well.
But yeah; wash your hands.
By DLR77 October 9, 2008 2:43pm
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Thank you for this information as it's good to know what kind of animals to have around younger children.
By patriciarose07 October 9, 2008 1:53pm
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Geez, would this guy rain on a kid's parade. Hamsters, I had these things as a kid, never got bit. We need to teach our kids about gentle behaviors with creatures and the ever present and needed hand washing. Common sense should always rule the day when it comes to kids and pet. We got sick in our house because our Lab swam in the river and gave us some sort of parasite...and we wash our hands all the time. As far as the person commenting on rats, they are the world's greatest pets. They are affectionate, clean, intelligent and adorable. They are like any other animal they need proper handling. We have rats and have never been bitten. Sooo....please folks tell this guy to get a life and let kids be kids. No more petting zoo???? Is he for real???? I grew up on a farm and walked barefoot in the cow and pig pasture, I have had pet everything from pigs to parakeets and chickens to chipmunks and I have never gotten sick with anything.
By mrsenck October 9, 2008 2:09am
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Kids are probably more at risk from EATING animals than they are having them as pets. We've just seen another outbreak of salmonella in Minnesota from people not cooking their frozen chicken entree's properly...
Really, where do you draw the line with pets? You could get psittachosis (sp?) from a parakeet, cat scratch fever from kitty, high blood pressure from the dog barking constantly....
By LauraLu October 8, 2008 6:39pm
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Very interesting information, and i'm sure it was put out with all good intentions. Yet after growing up in an environment of all sorts of reptilian and wild and or domesticated furry little and big animals I have to ask you,
when is too clean, too clean? Does the body not need exposure to develop a strong immune system?
By DeltaLimaTango October 8, 2008 5:50am
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Sorry if that last one comes across as not being nice but dead animals have no place in an elementary school. Just common sense. Especially dead wild animals.
By ALC67 October 8, 2008 2:10am
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What idiot brings a DEAD bat to school?
By ALC67 October 8, 2008 2:04am
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Sorry; The link came out a bit skivvy. In a nutshell, a mom in Montana brought a dead bat to school and let kids pet it. Rabies shots followed.
By DLR77 October 8, 2008 12:11am
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I'd go with petting live animals than dead ones. Anyone wanna pet a dead bat?
school.ap/index.html" title="http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/10/07/rabid.bat.school.ap/index.html" target="_blank"> http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/10/...
By DLR77 October 8, 2008 12:09am
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This is complete bullshit. I was under five with a compromised immune system from chemotherapy and had a hedgehog and NEVER got sick from it.
By Kyna October 7, 2008 6:55pm
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I noticed that the article cited said that 11% of child salmonella cases come from animals. That means that a whopping 89% DO NOT come from animal contact.
When I was a kid (not all that long ago) we had fish turtles, gerbils, cats, all kinds of things. I NEVER got Salmonella nor did anyone I know. I think the IMPORTANT line is about hand washing. That needs to be strongly encouraged.
BUT I have another question; what about kids raised on farms? They're surrounded by animals from before birth. Aren't they as much at risk as any other kids? What about taking kids fishing? Is that out too?
I think that we may be isolating children to 'protect' them but taking away all the things that make being a kid fun. I remember another article that says that having pets in the house helps protect children from respiratory ailments because it boosts their immune system. I also think that, in making parents and by extension, children germophobes that we're creating an unhealthy attitude about animals and nature in general. As well as the fact that over use of disinfectants helps create 'superbugs' that can't be killed by the disinfectants currently available which will lead to a more serious health crisis in the future. We're already seeing that with antibiotic resistant TB and MRSA. I feel sorry for all the kids who will be denied the joy of animal contact because of adults who are afraid they 'might' get something. There's too much panic out there. We need to step back and look at things from another angle. As I said earlier, 11% of reported cases of salmonella in children can be traced to animal contact. 89% of cases are NOT related to animal contact. Wouldn't it behoove us to find out how the OTHER 89% of cases were contracted? It might reveal a more serious source of illness than petting a sheep.
By ALC67 October 7, 2008 5:15pm
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Hi Jer,
Love your photos....thanks. About pets-we almost adopted a dog three weeks ago, a combination of breeds with one part being bull. He had the sweetish disposition, etc. but until my grandkids are bigger I cannot make the move. And exotic pets, no way. I have been out of touch with daily strength for a few months. Nice to be back. Love, Maryls.
By maryls October 7, 2008 12:14pm
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What about ferrets?
By kelly7463 October 7, 2008 11:32am
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Lol @ DLR77, i here they taste salty too yumm :oP
By mazz1983 October 7, 2008 7:04am
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Well there goes my dream of owning an alpaca.
They spit, you know.
People should not lick turtles. It's odd and apparently dangerous.
By DLR77 October 7, 2008 3:09am
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thats total bollock's about hamster's, my kid had a hamster, it taught him to love small animals and not try to squish them like normal kids his age, if kid's are taught propper to wash hand's before and after touching animal's then it wouldnt be an isshue, i agree with not letting them keep a hedgehog or the other names animal's but put it this way, you get a dog, if it craps and your kid touches it then it can make them blind, or cat's with suffocation isshue's, anything with fur because of asthma, therse always a blinking reason why not! same as everything, dont do this because you'll get this blah blah, having pet's builds up caringness and responsibility, and love for things weaker then them, this dr needs to give his head a shake!!
By mazz1983 October 6, 2008 7:08pm
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Im so glad you posted this...I just cant believe we are still seeing so much salmonella from turtles..i mean that is SO preventable....also gives me a good excuse not to own a hedgehog
By DrOrrange October 6, 2008 2:44pm