salmonella

Question
Hi: I just had a quick question.
My four year old daughter came down with some allergic hive rash thing. The doc. says it is a virus and she is on some allergy medicine. Right away of course I think of our new rabbit so I was looking on the Internet for stuff about rabbit diseases. Totally unrelated I learned that rabbits can carry salmonella and should not be kept around young children under five? Do you know how common this is? There wasn't many facts that went along with this statement...just that they aren't good for children under five or pregnant women. I am concerned because I may have another child and I have a 1 1/2 year old as well. Gizmo runs around their playroom and hops all over their bathroom so now I am freaked out about my little one getting sick..as she puts everything on the floor in her mouth. Gizmo is litter trained yet her long hair tends to pull the litter out of the box with her. Let me know what you think. I have been panicking all day. Thanks, Natalie

Answer
I'm not sure how common contracting salmonella from rabbits is.  During my 9 or so years at the humane society, kids were interacting with the small animals all the time, and I know many people who raised rabbits as kids, and I've never heard of anyone contracting salmonella from rabbits.

Almost any pet you bring in the house will have something that can be passed to humans.  Reptiles are probably more likely to cause salmonella to be passed to people.  The vegetables you feed your rabbit might have a higher likelihood of transferring salmonella to people.

I don't think it's something to worry much about.  

It basically just gets down to some basic care.  Obviously, you're always on the look out for what your child is placing in its mouth.  And after interacting with your rabbit and especially any time you clean the cage or are cleaning up the poop, you want to wash your hands.