Prairie dogs are ground squirrels native to the grasslands of North America. While danger to humans exists, it is not typically rooted in aggressive behavior. The primary concern associated with these animals is the risk of contracting zoonotic diseases, which can be transmitted through indirect contact or, less commonly, direct interaction.
Risk Assessment of Physical Injury
Wild prairie dogs are generally non-aggressive toward people and will retreat into their extensive burrow systems when threatened. Incidents involving bites or scratches are quite rare and almost exclusively occur when a person attempts to handle, feed, or corner the animal. These interactions usually happen with animals that are sick, injured, or habituated to human presence.
Any bite from a prairie dog, like any wild rodent bite, carries the potential for a localized bacterial wound infection. Their sharp teeth can inflict puncture wounds, which require prompt cleaning and medical attention to prevent complications. The physical risk is primarily mechanical trauma and infection from common bacteria present in the animal’s mouth.
The Threat of Sylvatic Plague
The most significant public health concern is the prairie dog’s role as a highly susceptible host for Sylvatic Plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Colonies are prone to epizootics, where the disease can wipe out over 90 percent of a population within weeks or months. This sudden, mass die-off of a colony is often the first indication that plague is active in an area.
Human infection typically occurs not from the prairie dog bite itself, but from the bite of an infected flea that has recently fed on a plague-sickened animal. When a prairie dog dies from the plague, its fleas seek a new host, increasing the chance of transmission to nearby humans or pets. Exposure can also happen when handling a sick or dead animal, or when interacting with contaminated soil or nesting materials near their burrows.
Secondary Disease Concerns
Beyond the plague, prairie dogs can carry other pathogens, including the bacteria responsible for tularemia, Francisella tularensis. This disease can be transmitted to humans through the handling of an infected animal carcass or via bites from infected ticks or biting flies that have fed on the prairie dog. Symptoms often mimic the flu, but the infection can be severe if left untreated.
A historically significant, though rare, concern is the transmission of Monkeypox virus. The first reported human cases in the United States in 2003 were linked to pet prairie dogs that had been housed near imported African rodents from Ghana. This exposure chain led to dozens of human cases and prompted a ban on the importation of certain exotic rodents. Captive prairie dogs, like other small mammals, may also pose a risk of transmitting Salmonella bacteria, which can be shed in their feces and cause gastrointestinal illness in humans.
Minimizing Exposure and Risk
The most effective way to avoid risk is to maintain a safe distance from all wild prairie dogs and their habitats. Never attempt to feed, pet, or otherwise handle a wild prairie dog, as this direct contact is the primary route for a bite or scratch injury.
When spending time in areas with active prairie dog colonies, it is advisable to use insect repellent on exposed skin and clothing, especially around socks and pant cuffs, to deter fleas. Avoiding contact with any sick or dead wild animals is also a strong recommendation, as fleas will rapidly leave a cooling carcass to find a new host. If a bite occurs, the wound should be immediately washed with soap and water, and medical attention should be sought to address infection and potential disease exposure.