What's in your pet store animal?

[salana]

We all know that animals from pet stores are often pregnant, usually infected with a URI, always covered in mites and/or lice...but did you know what critters they have in their guts?

A study was done on Syrian hamsters from two large hamster mills in the southwest US, each with about 40,000 hamsters on site, bred for the pet trade. The study was specifically looking at "wet tail" disease, a very common intestinal disease that afflicts most pet store hamsters, with high mortality rates. Here are some interesting results:

In the first phase of the study, the most important findings were severe Tyzzer’s disease (infection with Clostridium piliforme) and cestodiasis in all of the 9 clinically ill hamsters. Eight (89%) of these 9 hamsters were positive for Campylobacter species by PCR-based testing. Two (22%) of 9 hamsters had Clostridium difficile toxins, a commonly reported cause of enterocolitis. All 15 (100%) of the hamsters had mild to severe infections with the tapeworm, Hymenolepis nana. The tapeworm burden appeared correlative with the level of disease and debilitation. The protozoa Giardia, Entamoeba, Spironucleus muris, and trichomonads were also variably detected in all individuals. The yeast Torulopsis (Candida) heavily colonized the stomach of all hamsters. Rare spiral Helicobacter-like organisms were seen in intestinal wet mounts. Interestingly, the remaining 6 clinically normal hamsters, which were also euthanized and necropsied, had all of the same pathogens except for Clostridium piliforme.

Serologic testing revealed all hamsters to be positive for Sendai [virus] and PVM [pneumonia virus]. Nasal flushes revealed a wide variety of bacterial respiratory pathogens, corresponding with evidence of otitis and sinusitis histologically. Interestingly, all were serologically negative for Tyzzers, despite clear evidence histologically. All were negative for LCMV.

Barron, Heather Wilson, et al. 2007 "Etiology, Pathology, and Control of Enterocolitis in a Group of Hamsters." Proceedings of the 28th Annual AAV Conference & Expo with AEMV.

[cs275]

Wow! I never knew, that is so sad and disgusting the way these animals are treated and cared for.

[Susan9608]

Clostridium difficile toxins

This is so, so gross. People get severe, severe diarrhea from this organism. Yuck.

[C&K]

That really is gross.

A little off topic, but Toronto and 1/2 of Southern Ontario is currently experiancing a rabies scare from a puppymill. A mother dog died of Rabies back in December, they went on to put the puppies up for sale at one of Torontos largest flea markets, and 100's of people fondled the puppies, of which, 2 have now died of rabies.

[piggly wiggly]

We haven't had a rabies outbreak since the 30's. This is so awful. The mother dog fought with a skunk, and got rabies and died when the pupps were only about 3 weeks old.

[C&K]

I just can't get over that they then put the pups up for sale! It really outrages me and shows that puppymills are indeed, as bad as your worst nightmare!

[JeevesIsMyPig]

No rabies in Australia

We have it easy nothing dramatic ever happens here
But my GP has mites, should i get special shampoo or just wash him?

[VoodooJoint]

Originally Posted by JeevesIsMyPig

But my GP has mites, should i get special shampoo or just wash him?

No, don't wash him as it will only cause more pain and irritation. There are no "special shampoos" that will work either. You need to treat him with Ivermectin or take him to a vet to get him properly treated.

Here is an info page to read about mites Guinea Lynx :: Mange Mites

Here is info about Ivermectin Guinea Lynx :: Ivermectin Products

Here are treatment guidelines
Guinea Lynx -- Topical Ivermectin Treatment
Guinea Lynx :: Ivermectin Topical Treatment
Guinea Lynx :: Ivermectin

[Should I?]

Wow, I wonder what horrors are inside of guinea pigs?

[salana]

From my experience, mites, lice, respiratory infections, bad genes, babies, deformed babies...

[sophistacavy]

Campylobacter???!!! I thought people could only get that from raw meat! L0L, I thought I was safe if I just had safe raw meat handling practices for my dog's food, but apparently not...

*shudders* Thats weird, half those things listed there are also sometimes found in raw meat (according to whole dog journal's article on raw dog food and how to feed it safely).

What's the correlation between living hamsters and raw meat???

[Should I?]

Originally Posted by salana

We all know that animals from pet stores are often pregnant, usually infected with a URI, always covered in mites and/or lice...

Thats actually not true that pet store animals are always covered in mites and/or lice. I have purchased many, many pet store animals over the past several years, including birds, mice, rats, and different breeds of hamsters. I have never once received an animal that had mice or lice. Only one rat with a respiratory infection, and only one syrian hamster with wetail. Oh, and only one pregnant mouse. (Although I know at some certain stores where they don't seperate the sexes (which is where I got my pregnant one) its pretty much a given).

I do shudder to think about the internal parasites, but hopefully a good worming would take care of it.

[rabbitsncavyluv]

She said often, not always. People don't recognize the signs either sometimes. Either way, you're supporting pet mills and backyard breeders

[Should I?]

Originally Posted by rabbitsncavyluv

She said often, not always. People don't recognize the signs either sometimes. Either way, you're supporting pet mills and backyard breeders

Nope, read it again, she said often pregnant. She said always covered in mites and/or lice. I know the signs and was always on the watch because I know they can get that stuff from their bedding too, luckily I have never experienced that.

[guineapigluver1]

It was probably an accident that she said always. Anyways, usually they are sick and/or pregnant, but there are the few that aren't, and even so you are still supporting breeding and pet mills, so quit arguing about it.
I'm glad I found this website before I purchased from PetSmart because remembering the set-up of the cages (actually half cage half tank) the pig probably would have had URI.

[Should I?]

Originally Posted by guineapigluver1

It was probably an accident that she said always. Anyways, usually they are sick and/or pregnant, but there are the few that aren't, and even so you are still supporting breeding and pet mills, so quit arguing about it.
I'm glad I found this website before I purchased from PetSmart because remembering the set-up of the cages (actually half cage half tank) the pig probably would have had URI.

What was said is what was said and there was a need to correct a statement that was incorrect. Pet mills has nothing to do with the fact that they are not always covered in mites and lice. And around here they are NOT usually sick and/or pregnant. And no need to be rude. Also I said I had purchased many many pets from pet stores in the PAST. Stop being so one-sided and start being fair.

[rabbitsncavyluv]

Then you're lucky. So what? Either way you are supporting pet milling and adding to the pet overpopulation problem.

[khptown]

This is a little (maybe a lot) off topic. I do not know what is in the pets themselves, but in one of the cages at Petco there is the biggest guinea pig I have ever seen. It is a male, and he has been in this tiny little cage with 2 other males since I have gotten my first pig during the summer. I feel so bad for him. He is sooo big and has to be intimidating to any first time guinea pig owner. He literally looks like one of those giant pigs that were in the picture on the thread a few months back. Anyway, I just wanted to sat that. Yeah, it is too bad that pet stores do not care for the pets as well as they should.

[Ly&Pigs]

Originally Posted by Should I?

I have purchased many, many pet store animals over the past several years... I have never once received an animal that had mice or lice. Only one rat with a respiratory infection, and only one syrian hamster with wetail. Oh, and only one pregnant mouse.

Petstores shouldn't be selling any animals with Respiratory infections, wettail or animals that are pregnant. Those are reasons enough to stay away from purchasing petstore animals.

Most often petstores animals do have mites, sometimes they have lice and fleas can't be counted out either. Just because you've never "bought" an animal with any of these doesn't mean the conditions don't exist. Mites can't be seen with the naked eye so you don't know if your buying a pig with mites or not unless there is clearly visible signs such as major hairloss or scabbing. In more minor cases of mites, there may be no symptoms at all.

[psmadden]

I do have a question, I know I most likely will get jumped on about this question, but first where do you all think the recues come from? Alot of people buy guinea pigs then dump them at a shelter, honestly when I didnt have space for my girls, I considered bringing them to a rescue, but then i was able to move to a place where i had more space for them, but I bought them from a pet store and someone who would have "rescued them" would have my leftover piggies from a petstore.
Next question I have is are ALL rescue pigs 100% healthy when they are rescued? Is there something Im missing? when i look on petfinder at the rescues there are many pigs with health issues, where did those issues come from then? I dont want to cause a debate, I only am just wondering the real difference