Food-borne illness and rabbits?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 8sd replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 1 month ago by LBJ10.

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- 01/07/2022 at 2:04 PM
  henry2809
  Participant
  160 posts
  Hi everyone. This is kind of a random question, but how common is it for rabbits to contract food-borne illnesses such as Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli? I know that there could be a small possibility if a rabbit directly ingested affected produce, but how common would be be for a human owner to spread an infection to their pet rabbit? For example, if I had Salmonella, E. coli, or Listeria, would I still be able to care for my rabbit, feed my rabbit, sleep in the same room, and interact with him? Does anybody have personal experience with anything like this or have any insight? I just know there have been some produce recalls lately and while my rabbit only eats fresh herbs such as basil, I am a bit worried that he will get sick if I end up contracting a food-borne illness. Is this a realistic concern to have?
- 01/07/2022 at 6:27 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17225 posts
  This isn’t really something that is documented. Assuming you actually had salmonella or listeria, the only way for you to pass it your bunny would be via contact with bodily fluid or your poop. As a precaution, you would probably want to wash your hands thoroughly before feeding your bunny. You would probably want to avoid kissing your bunny too. I don’t think sleeping in the same room would really pose any risk. Keep in mind though, this isn’t a likely scenario and the conditions would have to be just right in order for you to potentially spread it to a non-human animal.
  - 01/08/2022 at 6:10 AM
    henry2809
    Participant
    160 posts
    That makes sense, thank you! Do you know if it is documented if humans can pass other infections to rabbits, such as MRSA? If a person had a MRSA infection, would they still be able to interact with and care for their bunny after washing their hands?
  - 01/08/2022 at 9:56 AM
    DanaNM
    Moderator
    9064 posts
    @lynne8832 This is something I had never considered, so I did a little quick googling. I found one study on MRSA in rabbits in meat rabbit farms (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7231059/). A lot of rabbits were carriers of MRSA, and in the conclusion the authors state:
    
    “In this study, the rate of MRSA strains found infecting rabbits is a concern, since the transmission of MRSA strains from rabbit to human or between rabbits may occur. Moreover, some of our MRSA strains had a human origin and we can hypothesize that animal handlers and farmers might be a source of contamination and transmission of these strains.”
    
    I do think it is unlikely for a rabbit to contract an infection like this if they do not have an open sore (much like humans), but it is probably safest to minimize contact between someone infected and rabbits until the infection is cleared.
    
    If this is something that is directly relevant to you or a family member (rather than a “what if”), it would be good to discuss it with a vet and the infected person’s Dr to get more specific recommendations about the type of biosecurity you should do.
    
    . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
  - 01/08/2022 at 10:20 AM
    henry2809
    Participant
    160 posts
    Thank you! This is not relevant to me currently, I was just curious because I know there are some zoonotic diseases that can be passed from rabbits to humans and vice versa. I agree that it would probably be very very rare for this to actually occur and hand washing before interacting with the rabbit would probably be sufficient and it would not be a concern if the rabbit didn’t have any open wounds.
  - 01/08/2022 at 10:50 AM
    LBJ10
    Moderator
    17225 posts
    MRSA is a bit different. I think Dana covered it well though. And yes, this is an unlikely scenario, especially in a pet rabbit (vs. a rabbit farm).
  - 01/08/2022 at 12:37 PM
    henry2809
    Participant
    160 posts
    Thank you!! So for example, if I had an infected scab/wound in my hand that I am just treating with Neosporin and I’m not sure if it’s MRSA or just a basic infection, it would still probably be okay for me to interact with, pet, feed, and sleep in the same room as my rabbit?
- 01/09/2022 at 7:04 AM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9064 posts
  Yes I would think so. MRSA is a rare infection to pick up in a typical household setting. It tends to be contracted in hospitals (due to the high rates of antibiotic usage that drive evolution of antibiotic resistance), and wouldn’t respond to Neosporin. However, if you had a cut or wound that wasn’t healing properly with typical first aid, it would be safest to avoid direct contact with the bun until you got a diagnosis and correct treatment.
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 01/09/2022 at 8:15 AM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17225 posts
  I agree with Dana. The chances of an infected cut being infected with MRSA would be low. Unless you have reason to believe the infection is caused by MRSA, I really wouldn’t worry about it.
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