About 60% of all households have at least one pet. Somewhere between one and two million households, the usual pets are not what they want. Their pet preferences are what's called "exotic pets." What these people don't know is that many of these pets carry exotic diseases. According to Ted Rosen, M.D., professor of dermatology at Baylor College of Medicine, "Pets can cause significant difficulties, including serious skin diseases."
Hedgehogs ‚ Over 40,000 of these rodents are pets. The most popular breed are small enough to fit in the palm of the hand. These quilled animals eat cockroaches and can be violent. Some people are allergic to hedgehogs and may develop a severe contact dermatitis ‚ a rash with hives and itching. The hedgehog's saliva is the villain. In addition, hedgehogs are associated with salmonellosis (a digestive track disease that causes severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting) and other bacterial diseases.
Chinchillas ‚ These rodents, found as pets in over 80,000 households, carry germs that cause tinea capitis, a fungal infection of the scalp and other skin diseases.
Iguanas ‚ Over a quarter of a million households have pet iguanas. These reptiles cause three types of problems. They carry Salmonella, the bacteria that causes salmonellosis. That's one reason anyone who handles these pets should wash their hands after touching it.
The bacteria Serratia marscens is found in iguanas' mouths. If your child gets nipped or bitten by an inguana, a severe infection of the skin ‚ cellulitis ‚ that's resistant to many commonly used antibiotics can occur. Lastly, for some people just touching the scales of an iguana can cause an allergic reaction ‚ runny nose and skin itching.
Flying Squirrels ‚ These rodents carry a bacteria that causes typhus fever, a disease that causes headache, chills, fever, weakness, muscle aches, light avoidance, and red patches and pimples. The bacteria is inhaled by the pet owner. These squirrels also carry bacteria that can enter a child's skin through a cut or scrape causing a severe skin infection that's very difficult to treat and may cause serious problems.
Gerbils ‚ Over a million households have pet gerbils. They can carry Leishmania, a one-celled animal that causes stomach ulcers and skin problems that resemble leprosy. They also carry Giardia lamblia, another one-celled animal that causes intestinal problems.
Family Practice News, 11/15/04, p. 23.
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