Monday, October 6, 2008

Hamster Warning

Today, the American Academy of Pediatrics came out with a report warning that families with young children should not keep hamsters, due to the risk of salmonella and other illnesses.


The dog weighed in:




But so did the hamsters.




To which the dog responded:






and the hamsters retaliated with:

80 comments:

Joelle Turner said...

That is too funny!! I had hamsters when I was little, and I know I never washed my hands after I played with them!

Kathy said...

Priceless.

Shelley said...

Haha! My dog agrees with your dog, because we had two hamsters that escaped from that very type of cage that you have. Let's just say that neither one of the hamsters survived their trek into the outside world. Our dog loved "playing" with them. One of the incidents was particularly gruesome, which is why I have a husband, to clean up things like that.

We still have one hamster, but now he has a different type of cage (wire, instead of plastic) from which he has been unable to escape. Not that the dog isn't still watching.

Jen said...

this great I love it, classic happy meals and happy hour. LOL!!!

Terri said...

Damn, dog, hampsters AND the Chickfila cows live with Happy Hour Sue. No wonder she drinks so much.

jaime said...

the battle of the pets. lol!

Emily said...

My dog Jake would like to let your dog know that if the hamsters want to take this outside, he's got your pup's back! How does BG feel?

Crayl said...

You are hysterical.

I read that report too...we had hamsters growing up, i am very sure I was under the age of 5 when it started, and I am still alive.

Candice said...

How pathetic is it that both the hamsters and the dog have better handwriting than I do?

Love it!

Anonymous said...

See this is our issue but with the squirrels. They think they own the yard and Lizzard thinks it's her yard. I wonder if the AAP has a warning about squirrels--Well Lizzard wants to know.

jill jill bo bill said...

That made me crack up! Why can't we all just get along?

Kaza said...

That's awesome. I needed that laugh today. I had a hamster as a child. He died. I'm still alive. I really don't think they're all that dangerous.

Susan said...

Love it!!

Suburban Correspondent said...

I knew there was a reason I don't have pets.

Cathie said...

Well the beloved gerbil died in August with no plans of being replaced. Now I have my reason.

McMommy said...

It's these kinds of posts that make me even more addicted to your blog.

HYSTERICAL!!

Julie said...

This is just what I needed tonight. See why I can't quit you? ;)

Mandy said...

HILARIOUS!

Miss Lisa said...

The hamsters have a very goof closing argument--this is sooo much better than a presidential debate ;)

Barefoot in the Park said...

i just laughed so hard i dribbled a little red wine on my shirt. the laugh was TOTALLY worth the stain!

Shannon said...

Yeah, I've heard the same thing about turtles. Here's my question: where the hell are pet hamsters and pet turtles getting raw meat?!?

Pamela said...

You're hysterical!

Unknown said...

LOL. That's great. I think the hamsters are lying though. They're really close to weasels and my dog has a hell of a time with drawers.

Texasholly said...

OMG. That made me laugh. They have very compelling arguments...

Ali said...

Sue, you are really too funny! Love this post!

simplynotso said...

just found you,hilarious!

Unknown said...

Ha!! Hilarious. There are no other words to describe that post :)

Petra a.k.a The Wise (*Young*) Mommy said...

LMFAO right now. For serious.

Tiffany said...

You sure have some smart ass animals. All my dog can do is lick my feet. Who needs a pedicure when my feet are soaked in dog spit? Ah it's the life.

Merrie said...

This one got me good. I actually laughed so hard that tears are rolling down my face. My five year old daughter is in awe that Mommy is laughing so hard, and basically just loves the pictures of your dog.

Sars and bird flu...LOL!!

Lipstick said...

This is quite possibly one of the funniest things I have ever read!!!!

Kendra said...

LMAO! Your critters are very talented writers. :-)

Personally, though, I think the article is a bit overboard. Especially the genius comment in the last paragraph...the one that's along the lines of "children 5 and under shouldn't have any kind of animal". Whatever, dude.

Crystal said...

Hilarious!

Linda S said...

OMG..too funny! What is it about animal posts! That's the best one yet!!

just bob said...

If it comes down to a fight, my money is on the dog.

The Microblogologist said...

I think I am going to have to side with the hamsters on this one. At least with them you can limit your exposure since they are basically content to live in their cage and keep there "bacteria germ[s]" to themselves. A dog on the other hand tends to be allowed to roam around and they eat poop, lick and drool and touch basically whatever they want to.

As for Shannon's comment, Salmonella is a somewhat common inhabitant of several animals' guts (like reptiles). People associate it with raw meat but there are other sources, several recent outbreaks were associated with produce. It tends to be passed fecal-orally (especially from pets) or as a result of fecal contamination of either a product or water.

So don't let the kids lick the hamsters, and make them wash their hands after handling them and they should coexist nicely. Besides, if the hamsters were harboring Salmonella or any other pathogen I suspect they would have been exposed to it by now. And this was the funniest presentation of a microbial study I believe I have ever seen, you rock!

The Mom Jen said...

So are you keeping the hamsters?

Thanks for introducing me to The Nice One...I did her header!!

http://eventheniceones.blogspot.com/

Insane Mama said...

I left a comment on your earlier post regarding guinea pigs, 'cause I am kind of a loser and can't figure out normal every day shit. I meant to leave it on THIS post.

Please, let's kiss and make up

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

I'm with the hamsters. Most pets are nasty in some way. I'm pretty sure cats pee on toothbrushes.

Beth Cotell said...

Clearly the hamsters win. Get rid of the dog.

Gettysburg Mom said...

I'm not sure I see a problem since kids don't really play with hamsters after the first week, anyway.

Jenny, the Bloggess said...

Freaking awesome.

Leslie said...

rofl, love this post. the signs were excellent!

Mama Dawg said...

That explains all the poorly written notes that I find near the squirrels cage and the cats food bowls! Gotcha!

Brittany said...

Ahhh...the pesky hamsters are the devil!

Bar-b said...

I thought the only pets you could get salmonella from were fish? Or eating lox? Who knew about the hamsters?

funny stuff.

Jen Shults said...

Hilarious. So hilarious that I snorted, if front of others.

Blondie said...

You need to place warnings with your posts, so that I quit spewing on my monitor!

KPB said...

oh my goodness! That is too funny! I heard about the hamsters and other pets being dangerous on the radio this morning. Good thing all I have is the dog - however your hamsters made an excellent point about the licking and sleeping in the bed! haha

Surf Girl said...

You just made me laugh out loud!

because I said so said...

you make me laugh out loud every day....wait, not EVERY day, cause you don't post EVERY day.....hint hint

Barking Mad! said...

LMAO! That was brilliant!

I read that report just as my husband was emailing me and asking if we should get a hamster for the Little Imp...as if having a Goldendoodle puppy, two cats and a partridge in a pear tree wasn't already enough!

I'm sure you can imagine my response to his question.

Auds at Barking Mad

Dorsey said...

OMG!!! That is hilarious!!!

Allison said...

Hamsters only live for like two weeks. Or maybe that was just all of the ones I tried to raise.

Julie H said...

you need to send that into cuteoverload.com

Kristen Andrews said...

that is cute, it seems everything has something wrong w/ it these days, maybe we should become bubble boys like in Seinfeld.

Greta said...

hahaha...

You have WAY too much free time on your hands!

Blessings From Above said...

You are too funny! I think Bathtub Gangsta should have the final say.

Creative-Type Dad said...

What? No Gangsta...

April Hunsaker said...

I've had a hamster and dog and I believe this conversation actually took place in our home. The dog outlasted the hamster, Frosting died on Valentine's Day and Licorice is still alive and kickin. We obviously like food...the sweet kind.

t said...

Our beloved hamster, Snowy, died last year on New Year's Eve. Out with a bang. Sort of sad, sort of glad. I hope my son isn't reading this, he'll never hug me again.

Yes, dogs and cats lick their bums but really....a rodent is sort of a sketchy animal. As cute as he was, I'm so glad not to look at his little pooplets in the cage......

Natalie said...

it seems to me that most hamster owners outlive their pets so i don't think i would worry much. but then again i don't have hamsters so i have no reasons to worry at all.

Unknown said...

This is the funniest thing I have seen on the net in weeks.....and I sepnd ALL day surfing at home and work.

Snowbound Gal said...

You know, one day someone's going to go on Dateline talking about how we'd never have any fires without air. Then we're gonig to have an epedemic of kids getting nearly suffocated by their overzealous parents.

I have a secret mission for you but I can't find your e-mail address. Would you please send me an e-mail (my address is in my profile) so I can explain?

Aubrey said...

LOL
OMGosh. My gut, my gut is aching!!

t said...

HELLO...I've gotten a lot of comments today that Bathtub Gangsta should be the running mate for my drunken fish.....are you up for a battle against some other contenders? http://maverickdrunkenfish.blogspot.com/

A New Yorker said...

I sound like I have asthma -- laughing at this post.

Susan said...

Left you an award!!! pick it up over at the psych ward!!

Vodka Mom said...

that is fantastic. Just like Cows that Type! love it...

Rach (Mommy Learns to Blog) said...

Absolutely hilarious. Where do you find the time to come up with this stuff???

LuckyMe said...

I think I heart you. Priceless with the pictures. Thanks, Sue.

You don't think the poopy hermit crabs are a problem, do you?

Nanny Goats In Panties said...

OMG - that was hysterical!

and congrats on the Chicken Soup gig!

LuckyMe said...

PS, I encourage everyone to write to your congressman right now. We all have opinions and we need to express them where they can be heard.
https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml

Becka Robinson said...

HAHAHA. That's the funniest thing I've seen today!

Jenn And The City said...

OMG! New to your blog, and can't.quit.laughing....
Thanks.
Jennn

Ann Onymous said...

hahaha! i wonder what my cat & two hamsters would have to say about each other if only they could write.

the hamsters were a mistake. come to think of it, so was the cat. unfortunately, the cat doesn't show much interest in the hamsters. if he did, we might be able to reduce our pet population by two, at least.

BusyDad said...

Your one dog is funnier than my 2 dogs combined. And your hamsters are way more talented than our sea monkeys. Damn.

nikkicrumpet said...

Too freaking funny. I gotta leave here....first the neighbors...now the hubby...he is not amused by laughter at 12:34 AM

3 Peanuts said...

Oh--- you are hysterical. i am launing and I really needed some laughs!

Anonymous said...

I'm visiting from Heather over at Nobody but yourself's blog. That is tooo funny....The hamsters have SARS and the Bird Flu! :) I don't think small furry animals would last very long at our house....not with a dog that agrees with your dog and asked if I would relay the message that she's more than willing to "talk" to them for you if you'd like.