Why are hamsters dangerous for a child and an adult, is it possible to get infected from them?

The question – why are hamsters dangerous to many people may seem stupid and even funny. After all, most consider these cute rodents harmless and peaceful. But few people know that small pets are prone to various infectious diseases. Is it possible to catch a disease from a hamster and how to properly maintain these fluffy animals in order to protect yourself and all household members from infection?

What can you get from hamsters

Even the most thorough care of a miniature pet is not a guarantee that he will remain healthy and active throughout his life. Sometimes the infection can enter the body of the animal from poor-quality food or sawdust, which the owner uses as bedding for the pet’s cage.

There are also cases when a rodent enters the house already being infected, because most diseases do not manifest themselves in the early stages and people do not even realize that their pet is suffering from an infectious disease.

But not all hamster diseases are dangerous to humans. There are only a few infectious diseases that can be contracted from these furry rodents:

• Hamsters are prone to such a serious and dangerous disease as tuberculosis, which is transmitted by airborne droplets. Therefore, with prolonged contact with a sick animal for the owner, there is a considerable risk of contracting tuberculosis;
• Not only cats are carriers toxoplasmosis, from hamsters it is also possible to catch this disease. Toxoplasmosis is especially dangerous for pregnant women, so during this period they need to stop any contact with pets;
• A miniature pet can also infect its owner listeriosisa disease affecting the human nervous system. An animal affected by this disease begins to have problems with coordination of movements and balance, which is especially noticeable when the pet runs in a wheel or a maze;
• Among the dangerous diseases that can be transmitted from a hamster to a person can be identified and lymphocytic choriomeningitis. It is possible to determine that a rodent suffers from this disease by the following symptoms: the animal becomes lethargic, refuses to eat, and convulsions shake its limbs;
• Tularemia – another potentially dangerous disease for humans, which is carried by rodents, including hamsters;
• These animals are also susceptible to dermatological diseases, such as ringworm or dermotoxicosis, which the owner can become infected by contact with a sick pet.

Are hamsters dangerous to children?

Parents do not always decide to get a dog or cat for their child, fearing that the animal may harm him. And, as an alternative, they buy Dzungarian or Syrian hamsters for a child, believing that miniature rodents do not pose a danger to children.

But before giving your baby a hamster, parents should weigh their decision, since these animals are not always harmless and harmless.

If the child is not yet five years old, it is not recommended to purchase a hamster as a pet. After all, despite the fact that these cute creatures are quite friendly, they can bite the baby if he frightens them or inadvertently hurts the animal. Such bites are dangerous because the wound can become inflamed due to an infection that has got into it, if the site of the lesion is not treated with an antiseptic in time.

Also, rodents are carriers of various parasites, such as helminths, and can infect a child with them.

Young children do not always wash their hands after contact with a pet and put dirty fingers in their mouths, which increases the risk of infection with parasites.

Miniature jungarik or fluffy Syrian hamster will be the perfect pet for school children. The child will not only acquire a great friend, but will also learn responsibility by caring for this cute creature.

Can cats or dogs get sick from a hamster?

If other animals live in the house, besides hamsters, then the owners are concerned about the question of whether rodents can infect a cat or dog with something.

You should not be afraid that a kitten or puppy will catch an infectious disease from a domestic rodent. All the diseases that these animals are susceptible to are not dangerous for other pets.

Even if a cat eats a rabies-infected hamster, it will not contract this dangerous disease, since the rabies virus is transmitted through a bite. The exception is those cases if the cat had open wounds in its mouth, and the blood of a sick rodent got into them.

Prevention measures: how to prevent infection

To protect yourself and your loved ones from infection with infectious diseases, the carriers of which are hamsters, you should remember a few elementary rules when keeping them:

• It is advisable to purchase a fluffy pet only from breeders or pet stores with a good reputation. Buying an animal on the market, the owner risks acquiring an animal infected with an infection;
• When choosing a hamster, it is recommended to pay attention to its appearance and behavior. Affected hamsters have a dull sloppy coat, inflamed eyes, and they behave sluggishly and apathetically;
• It is necessary to monitor the cleanliness in the pet’s home and remove the dirty filler in time. So the owner will not only get rid of the unpleasant odor from the cage, but also reduce the risk of infection entering the animal’s body;
• Feed the rodent should be only high-quality food. Stale and rotten grains can provoke various diseases in hamsters;
• When cleaning the cage, the owner should always wear gloves, as you can become infected not only through contact with the animal, but also through its feces.

You should not give up the pleasure of communicating with a miniature fluffy hamster just because there is a possibility of contracting some disease from him. After all, if you properly care for and take care of a small creature and pay enough attention to it, then a funny animal will always delight the owner with activity, health and well-being.