Desperate Dad Reacts Badly to Bite While Saving Pet Hamster

A father was in hospital last night after being bitten by his daughter’s escaped hamster.

The 50-year-old suffered an extreme allergic reaction when the frightened animal sank its teeth into his hand as he tried to rescue it from under floorboards.

Slipping into anaphylactic shock, the man administered himself drugs he had been prescribed for other allergies – with no effect.

Eventually, as his breathing became increasingly laboured, the family dialled 999 for an ambulance.

Paramedic Wayne Davies explained: “We were called out at about 10.25pm to find the man in a semi-conscious state when we arrived. His family told us he had other allergies and had already administered himself some drugs but these had had little effect.”

Ambulanceman Stuart Philp, added: “His airway was quite swollen when we arrived. Anaphylactic shock can have quite a rapid onset. We administered oxygen and put a tube up his nose into the back of throat to keep his airway open.”

Last night the man, who lives near Redditch, was recovering in the town’s Alexandra Hospital.

“I didn’t see the hamster, but I assume it was in its cage,” said Mr Philp. “It is amazing that such a small animal can have such a large impact on someone.”

Mr Philp said he handled three or four call-outs for anaphylactic shock every year.

“They can range from feeling sick and a little breathless to a severe reaction like this. Usually it is a reaction to bee-stings or eating nuts. For this man it was a hamster bite.”

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