A shipment of 800 small mammals of varied species from Ghana was imported to Texas on April 9 2003, including six genera of African rodents. Placed nearby was a shipment of prairie dogs leaving Texas to be sold as pets in Illinois. In June of 2003, the first reported cause of monkey-pox in a human living in the U.S. was reported.
1Know how monkey-pox is spread to humans:
- Being bitten by an animal infected with the disease.
- Coming into contact with the body fluids of an infected animal.
- Contact with the respiratory droplets of an infected animal (i.e., changing bedding material or holding the animal close to the face).
2Be aware that there is very little information that allows one to exclude animals that may not contract monkey pox. Therefore it should be presumed that any mammal, including common household pets, could get monkey pox if exposed to the disease.
3Know what to look for if you own an animal infected with monkey pox. Symptoms include:
- Fatigued and inattentive.
- Reluctant to eat or drink.
- A discharge from the eyes.
- Swollen lymph nodes.
- A blister-like rash.
4Know what to do if your pet is infected with monkey pox.
- Remove the infected animal from the vicinity of humans and animals immediately. Put the animal in a box or cage and place it in an area where contact with the animal is at a minimum, such as a garage or outdoor shed.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after any contact with the animal or any object that could be contaminated.
- Wash all clothing in hot water and soap. Adding chlorine bleach during washing can supply an added degree of precaution. Wash your hands after coming into contact with soiled clothing.
- Contact your state or local health department. Advise them that you suspect you have a pet with monkey pox. They may pick up the animal, or tell you to take the animal to a veterinarian.
5Know what you should not do if your pet is infected:
- Do not take your pet to a vet without first calling the office and advising the staff that you suspect they may be dealing with a case of monkey pox.
- Do not release the infected animal into the wild.
- Do not take the infected animal to a shelter or rescue center.
- Do not dispose of contaminated bedding material, cage, toys, or food and water bowls with household trash, in a dump, or in a landfill. Contact your local health department, they will provide for disposal of the contaminated items.
6See your health care provider as soon as possible if you suspect you have come into contact with the monkey pox virus.
7Understand that there is no test to determine if a live animal has monkey pox. Signs and symptoms of the illness, and any information as to where the animal originally came from, are the determining factors in a living animal.
- If you have a pet that is infected with the disease, it is most likely that the animal will be humanely euthanized. This may be a bitter pill to swallow, but avoiding the spread of the disease to family, friends and other pets should be paramount.
- The smallpox vaccine is effective at protecting people against monkey pox when it is given before they are exposed to the virus. Vaccination after exposure may help prevent the disease or make it less uncompromising.
- Persons with weakened immune systems should not get the smallpox vaccine, even if they have been exposed to monkey pox.
- Anyone who has been exposed to monkey pox in the past 2 weeks, and who has no allergies to the vaccine or a weakened immune system, should get the smallpox vaccine. This includes infants (under 1 year of age), expectant mothers, and people with skin conditions.
- You can not import into the United States any rodent of African origin, including any rodents that were caught in Africa, unless you have a valid permit issued by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).