Rabies in hamsters – one hundred percent fatal, signs and symptoms of the disease

Rabies in hamsters is a fantasy case. The probability of transmission of rabies to humans from a rodent seems completely impossible. Too specific way of transmission of the virus. But the disease is incurable causes 100% death, so it would be wrong to ignore even the illusory possibility of infection.

The rabies virus multiplies in the cells of the nervous system, causing a specific inflammation of the brain.

Infection is possible only through direct contact, if the saliva of a sick animal enters the wound or on the mucous membrane.

The virus moves along the nerves from the wound to the brain. The death of nerve cells causes a variety of neurological disorders. Death occurs from paralysis and suffocation (breathing stops).

The question of whether hamsters get rabies is not entirely correct. Any warm-blooded animals are susceptible to the virus if infected, even birds. For humans, the disease is also deadly, hence the natural interest is whether hamsters have rabies. These rodents are the most common pets, and quite often hamsters bite their owners. If a hamster bites a child bloody, parents want to know if any specific therapy is needed.

Statistics

Rabies is a naturally occurring disease. The virus circulates in a population of wild animals, most often rabies is carried by wolves, foxes, and raccoons. Isolated cases of the disease are regularly detected in rodents (rat, hamster, squirrel). There are regions that are officially unfavorable for this terrible infection, information can be obtained at the veterinary station or on the website of the Rosselkhoznadzor.

It cannot be argued that hamsters do not have rabies, since isolated cases are found in world practice. Sometimes infected rodents have bitten hosts.

In Russia – an episode in Novosibirsk, 2003. A hamster bought at a pet store died after biting an 8-year-old child. Bought a rodent in July, he fell ill and died in September. Rabies was confirmed posthumously in the laboratory, by official examination.

In September 2006, in Belarus (Cherven, near Minsk), a 12-year-old girl was bitten by a rabid hamster. The rodent bought on the market in Zhdanovichi died 2 days after the incident. Examination revealed rabies. Fortunately, the child was given a course of vaccinations without waiting for the results of the tests, so the girl survived.

March 2012, Ukraine, Zhitomir. Three hamsters purchased from the poultry market died of rabies 10 days after purchase. Three children (1, 5 and 9 years old) were hospitalized for a course of rabies vaccine.

In March 2017 – again in Belarus (Kalinkovichi) a hamster dies after biting a 19-year-old mistress. Examination confirms rabies.

Cases are rare, but they serve as a reason to start developing a rabies vaccine for rodents. While such a drug does not exist, preventive vaccinations are given only to predators (dogs, cats, ferrets).

Symptoms

If the region of residence is unfavorable for this terrible disease, it is better to find out in advance what are the signs of rabies in hamsters.

Rabies is always characterized by unusual behavior of the animal, and not always aggression. Rabid foxes can be affectionate, lose their fear of humans, lick their hands. The hamster simply loses its orientation in space, wanders non-stop around the cage without a clear purpose. Appetite absent or perverted (eating inedible objects). The rodent worries, squeaks, sometimes shows aggression.

At the final stage of the disease, paralysis of the pharynx causes the inability to eat and drink, as well as profuse salivation. Before death, the animal falls into a coma, convulsions are observed.

Symptoms of rabies in hamsters can be blurred, in such cases, the owners say that the rodent died suddenly. Usually the animal dies no later than a week from the moment of brain damage.

Actions on bite

Decorative hamsters can easily bite a person to the blood with their strong sharp incisors. The Djungarian hamster tends to be aggressive if not handled. The Syrian bites less often, but more painfully due to its large size.

If the injury was caused by a domestic rodent, it is not necessary to contact the anti-rabies point. When infected in the laboratory, rodents are highly sensitive to the rabies virus, but in nature they rarely get sick. Syrian hamsters, along with rabbits and guinea pigs, are used for biological testing for rabies.

If the pet dies under strange circumstances, it should be taken for a pathomorphological examination to a veterinary laboratory, where the cause of death will be determined.

Sometimes a person, who has already forgotten about the bite of his beloved jungarik, begins to look for information about rabies, and, succumbing to panic, goes for vaccination.

It should be remembered that vaccination is done no later than 2 weeks from the moment of the bite.

The course of treatment is not completely safe, and medical prescriptions, such as the prohibition of alcohol, must be strictly observed.

A rabies vaccine that has been started can be interrupted if the hamster is alive and well within 2 weeks of biting the person. Although rabies has a long incubation period, the virus does not appear in the saliva of a sick animal immediately, but 10-12 days before clinical signs of the disease. In herbivores, it may not be contained in saliva at all, but only affect the nervous tissue.

Protection against any infections consists in high-quality aseptic treatment of the wound. Simply put, the bite should be washed with plenty of running water, washed with soap and antiseptic (hydrogen peroxide) applied.

Prevention

Rabies cannot be cured and there is no vaccine for rodents.

Fortunately, the likelihood of this terrible disease in a hamster tends to zero.

Prevention is as follows:

• do not let the pet go for a walk on the street and minimize contact with other animals;
• buy rodents in a professional nursery, and not in the bird market.

Conclusion

Aggressive behavior in a rodent least of all resembles the true picture of rabies in these animals. If a hamster bites, this is not a reason for euthanasia. It is worth trying to understand why the animal is trying to attack and take the time to tame and calm him down.