pet connection

Dr. Marty was on “Good Morning America” today — you can watch his “Puppies 101″ feature on the GMA site. He’s also being interviewed today for a story on salmonella in pets. Here’s the print version:

Pet rodents could be an underrecognized source of the 1.4 million salmonella bacteria infections and 415 related deaths that occur annually in the United States, according to a new government report.

The report is published in today’s New England Journal of Medicine. It details the first documented salmonella outbreak associated with pet rodents.

The report refers only to rodents, but experts say the danger doesn’t stop at the hamster cages. “Pocket pets” are also a possible problem.

Terrified? Well don’t be. Because after getting through all the scary stuff, you can click through to the next page and read:

According to the report, cuddly pet store creatures are by no means guaranteed safe, but the dangers are avoidable and, frankly, uncommon.

“You’d probably be more likely to get salmonella from a ham sandwich than a hamster,” said [Dr. Nicholas] Dodman, a professor at the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in North Grafton, Mass.

OK, so after they’ve got people tossing their children’s hamsters in the street, click another two pages in where Dr. Marty provides perspective:

“I always encourage people to get rid of the risk but keep the pet,” Becker said.

To prevent problems with pet infections, “remember what your grandma told you,” Becker said. Keep pets out of food preparation areas, and wash hands after holding, handling or cleaning up after pets.

Children in particular, need to wash their hands with soap and water every time they touch an animal and also after cleaning cages.

One other important factor in preventing salmonella is to work with your veterinarian to keep your animals in optimal health.

“Sometimes the carriers of salmonella show no obvious symptoms and it takes the trained, experienced eye of your vet — along with some basic lab tests — to look past obvious problems to potential problems,” Becker said.

Keep a careful eye on kids and their pets, not matter how small. But don’t throw the hamster out with the bedding, so to speak.

“All pets have the possibility of passing on this disease,” Becker said. “So do other people, though.”

Too bad that’s at the end of the story, not the beginning. Hope people read through before panicking and pitching their pets.

Seems like I’m the only one of the Pet Connection team not doing anything exciting today. Dr. Marty’s in Manhattan. Christie’s on her way there as I type. The Tripps are likely planning some exciting trip to their mountain cabin. And me … stuck home typing.

Share & Enjoy

Facebook	Twitter	Google Buzz	Digg
Technorati	StumbleUpon	Delicious	Email