Keeping pets is a common practice, and some people, especially those living in small spaces without time to walk dogs, often choose to keep small animals like hamsters. Watching them can be quite therapeutic. However, a recent terrifying incident in Spain has sparked heated discussions. A woman died in front of her children after being bitten by her pet hamster.
According to reports from Mirror, the incident occurred on October 11th at 10:30 PM in Villarreal, Valencia. A 38-year-old woman was bitten by her hamster at home. She went to the hospital with her 17-year-old and 11-year-old children to have the wound checked. However, she fainted just a few meters from the hospital. Despite immediate CPR by medical personnel, she was pronounced dead. Her body was then taken away, and the area was cordoned off.
Following the incident, an autopsy was conducted to determine if the hamster bite was the cause of death. Although rare, hamster bites can transmit diseases like rabies or bacterial infections, leading to severe respiratory difficulties and potentially life-threatening conditions. In 2007, a man in the UK experienced anaphylactic shock after being bitten by a hamster and was hospitalized in Redditch, Worcestershire. Fortunately, he survived.
Anaphylactic shock is typically associated with bee stings or drug allergies. Even Wendy Barry, the then-secretary of the UK Hamster Association, expressed surprise, stating she had never heard of such an incident in her 20 years of keeping hamsters. It is crucial for individuals bitten by animals to seek medical attention promptly to avoid serious consequences.
