Prairie Dog: Cuddly Pet or Trojan Horse?
2004
Prairie Dog: Cuddly Pet or Trojan Horse?
Commentary
Author Information
Author(s): Azad F. Abdu
Primary Institution: University of Maryland School of Medicine
Conclusion
The trade of wild-caught prairie dogs poses significant health risks due to the potential transmission of diseases like tularemia and monkeypox to humans.
Supporting Evidence
- The trade of wild-caught animals can introduce new pathogens to native populations.
- Visual inspection of wild-caught animals is not reliable for detecting disease.
- Recent outbreaks of tularemia and monkeypox highlight the risks associated with exotic pet trade.
Takeaway
Prairie dogs might look cute, but they can carry diseases that can make people very sick, so we need to be careful about selling them as pets.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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