Injuries and envenomation by exotic pets in Hong Kong

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Toxicology
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Exotic pets, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, and arthropods, are increasingly popular.
• Venomous exotic pets pose risks of injury and envenomation to owners.
• Emergency physicians have limited experience managing exotic pet-related incidents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the clinical features and outcomes of injuries and envenomation by exotic pets.
• To understand the epidemiology of exotic pet-related injuries in Hong Kong.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of cases recorded by the Hong Kong Poison Information Centre.
• Data collected from July 1, 2008, to March 31, 2017.
• Analysis of injury types and envenomation severity.

Main Results:

• Fifteen cases of exotic pet injuries/envenomation were reported.
• Common incidents included snakebites (n=6), fish stings (n=4), and scorpion stings (n=2).
• Two major envenomations occurred, both from venomous snakes; seven cases had moderate effects, and six had mild effects.

Conclusions:

• Human injuries from exotic pets primarily involved reptiles, scorpions, and fish.
• Venomous snakebites were the sole cause of major envenomation.
• No fatalities were reported in the reviewed cases.