Small bite from pet rat, how serious

[Yipper]

It happens more often than you think. Parents forget to move the pet rat / hamster / whatever cages out of fingers' reach and they wind up getting a nibble. Tetanus might be a bit strong for a baby, while antibiotics may damage a baby's gut flora and health for life.

[bexVN]

Yipper said:

It happens more often than you think. Parents forget to move the pet rat / hamster / whatever cages out of fingers' reach and they wind up getting a nibble. Tetanus might be a bit strong for a baby, while antibiotics may damage a baby's gut flora and health for life.

Agree that tetanus was unlikely to be needed esp as probably had it already in routine jabs but antibiotics are not likely to ruin gut flora for life esp one short course.

My poor son had horrendous ear infections in the first two years of his life and needed regular antibiotics unfortunately. He is 6 now and there is nothing to suggest lifelong gut flora issues.

I think the person at 111 overreacted and gave advice based more on if he'd been bitten by a wild rat, not a pet rather but it is done now and the little lad us OK which is the important thing.

Edited by bexVN on Wednesday 11th January 09:27

[2thumbs]

I was once bitten on the finger by one of my pet rats. The next day I had a bright red vein running from my bitten finger, up my arm and across my shoulder. It was infected and i needed anti biotics. It cleared up as soon as I started the course.

[Ms R.Saucy]

Yipper said:

. Tetanus might be a bit strong for a baby, while antibiotics may damage a baby's gut flora and health for life.

what an load of utter rubbish

[Nightmare]

Ms R.Saucy said:

Yipper said:

. Tetanus might be a bit strong for a baby, while antibiotics may damage a baby's gut flora and health for life.

what an load of utter rubbish

yeah I would very rarely totally decry something on here - but there is absolutely zero evidence for that at all; and given the turnover in the human gut beyond unlikely.

Health scaremongering is a real problem in this country. Do make sure you do the whole course of antibiotics though......

[dazwalsh]

Boosted LS1 said:

How's the rat? ;-)

They have gone back to their owner now thankfully, we just looked after them whilst she was on holiday. Was a bit dubious at first but they are quite active cute little things.

[dazwalsh]

Nightmare said:

yeah I would very rarely totally decry something on here - but there is absolutely zero evidence for that at all; and given the turnover in the human gut beyond unlikely.

Health scaremongering is a real problem in this country. Do make sure you do the whole course of antibiotics though......

Yeah to be honest I almost didnt give him the antibiotics because hes had a few doses of them in the past for all the random infections they bring back from nursery but started him on them the morning after just to make sure, I bet there is the odd story of sepsis and death out there so just be on on the safe side, I am his health and safety officer...I mean parent after all.

[Yipper]

Nightmare said:

Ms R.Saucy said:

Yipper said:

. Tetanus might be a bit strong for a baby, while antibiotics may damage a baby's gut flora and health for life.

what an load of utter rubbish

yeah I would very rarely totally decry something on here - but there is absolutely zero evidence for that at all; and given the turnover in the human gut beyond unlikely.

Health scaremongering is a real problem in this country. Do make sure you do the whole course of antibiotics though......

You need to get with modern research, son.

The evidence for child antibiotics causing or worsening adult disease is starting to pile up (e.g. eczema, obesity, etc.). They are not sweeties.

http://time.com/3858258/infant-childhood-antibioti...

[bexVN]

Yipper said:

Nightmare said:

Ms R.Saucy said:

Yipper said:

. Tetanus might be a bit strong for a baby, while antibiotics may damage a baby's gut flora and health for life.

what an load of utter rubbish

yeah I would very rarely totally decry something on here - but there is absolutely zero evidence for that at all; and given the turnover in the human gut beyond unlikely.

Health scaremongering is a real problem in this country. Do make sure you do the whole course of antibiotics though......

You need to get with modern research, son.

The evidence for child antibiotics causing or worsening adult disease is starting to pile up (e.g. eczema, obesity, etc.). They are not sweeties.

http://time.com/3858258/infant-childhood-antibioti...

Patronising someone when trying to show your reasonings will never win them over, even if you are right!!

Of course what they can't tell you is what long term effects the body may have suffered if antibiotics hadn't been used at the time of need. (deafness for example, which happened to my Mum)

[Nightmare]

Yipper said:

Nightmare said:

Ms R.Saucy said:

Yipper said:

. Tetanus might be a bit strong for a baby, while antibiotics may damage a baby's gut flora and health for life.

what an load of utter rubbish

yeah I would very rarely totally decry something on here - but there is absolutely zero evidence for that at all; and given the turnover in the human gut beyond unlikely.

Health scaremongering is a real problem in this country. Do make sure you do the whole course of antibiotics though......

You need to get with modern research, son.

The evidence for child antibiotics causing or worsening adult disease is starting to pile up (e.g. eczema, obesity, etc.). They are not sweeties.

http://time.com/3858258/infant-childhood-antibioti...

Please don't quote synthesised studies as evidence of anything. Especially ones which simply prove, as would be obvious to anyone, that antibiotics kill gut fauna at the time of use.

Anyway - I am totally and utterly against the incorrect use of antibiotics. I've only been working in the field of multi drug resistant bacteria for twenty years. There are loads of reasons they shouldn't be prescribed but once they have been you need to a) take them all and b) not make people who have them worried they might be about to damage their child long term. Fwiw I wouldn't have gone to hospital for a pet rat bite but that's immaterial

Edited by Nightmare on Thursday 12th January 18:46

[iphonedyou]

Nightmare said:

Please don't quote synthesised studies as evidence of anything. Especially ones which simply prove, as would be obvious to anyone, that antibiotics kill gut fauna at the time of use.

Anyway - I am totally and utterly against the incorrect use of antibiotics. I've only been working in the field of multi drug resistance at bacteria for twenty years. There are loads of reasons they shouldn't be prescribed but once they have been you need to a) take them all and b) not make people who have the, worried they might be about to damage their child long term. Fwiw I wouldn't have gone to hospital for a pet rat bite but that's immaterial

Yeah, but he called you 'son' and everyone knows this beats 20 years experience in internet top trumps.

Sorry.