What if the lovable pets you had as a kid could kill you? No we aren't talking about large dogs, snakes, or tarantulas here...we are talking about something far fluffier and cuter. Hamsters...that's right these small fluffy animals that don't reach more than 14 inches long and weigh about half a pound can be deadly. Recently, a mother of two died after being bit by a pet hamster. This article may make you rethink your child's next pet.
Woman Dies After Getting Bit By Pet Hamster
Pexels Photo by Ellie Burgin
When thinking of pets that could potentially kill you, I guarantee that hamster is far down on the list for most people. However, a mother of two died in Spain recently after she was bitten by her child's furry friend. Unilad shared that the 38-year-old woman collapsed after being bitten by one of her children's hamsters and later died on her way to the hospital.
After being bitten, the mother of two, who has yet to be identified, went to seek medical attention. However, she fell around 10:30pm. The most tragic part of it all was that reports show "the woman was only a few feet from the front door of the medical center when she collapsed." Although rescue staff attempted to resuscitate her, they were unable to save her.
How could the bite of such a small creature inflict so much damage? While experts will perform an autopsy to be sure, the medical staff have theories about how this could have happened.
How Can A Hamster Bite Be So Deadly?
Pexels Photo by Sharon Snider
How is it that a woman dies from being bit by a pet hamster? According to Unilad, "In rare cases, diseases such as rabies and bacterial infections can pass from hamsters to humans through a bite." While it is still unclear what happened here, this is one possibility. Although, the chances of this happening are very slim. Additionally, the then secretary of the British Hamster Association, Wendy Barry, argued against this as a plausible cause.
She said, " Someone's immune system would have to be very, very compromised for there to be such drastic consequences." She continued, "Hamsters don't normally carry any diseases that would affect humans. In fact, there is more chance of a hamster catching something from a human."
So if contracting an infection from the hamster is not likely the cause of death, then what is? Another, potentially more likely, theory is that this woman suffered an allergic reaction to the hamster bite. While a person having such severe allergies to animals like rodents is also rare, it is another avenue to explore.
Reports show that in 2007 "a man from the Evesham in the UK went into anaphylactic shock following a hamster bite." So, while rare this level of severity from an allergic reaction is possible. Until the autopsy is completed, people will have nothing to go off of other than their speculations.
