My 3 yrs old daughter was diagnosed Itp last nov . Her last platelets count was 60 3weeks ago before we get her 2 hamsters .... Yesterday 48

[Rimmmmm]

Does it have any thing to do with hamsters ? Or the flea she got a week ago and bit her everywhere

[Marie34]

It could be. ITP is caused by viral infections. If she picked up an infection from the flea biting her it could have caused her platelets to drop.

[Morgan]

Of course not !, If it was caused by a flea Itp would be more common, every pet owner would have it.

[janran]

Hi

I don't think that flea bites can cause ITP but I had a similar experience of falling counts after being bitten by something. The bite was certainly worse and more bruised than any I'd had before I was diagnosed! I thought it might be because biting insects inject you with something to thin the blood in order to make your blood easier to get at? Well that's my theory anyhow! Maybe ask your doctors opinion on that one.

Janet

[Lindylou86]

Dont think it has anything to do with the flea bite. ITP was first described to me as Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (idiopathic meaning of unknown origin) now known as Immune Thrombocytopenia Purpura. So I think the unknown part is that they don't know what actually causes it if they did they would be closer to a cure for it, my theory anyway, hope this helps.

[swheels]

It has nothing to do with having a hamster, I had 15 hamsters or more when growing up. I have had ITP since I was 2, I'm 43 now. I had no problems and fluctuations were never considered by the doctors as down to having hamsters or pets in general. Strong viruses can affect ITP, I have no idea what caused my chronic condition in the early years but having a double vaccine dosage triggered a relapse in my twenties. Colds and flu are the things to watch out for that can trigger a slide. 60 to 48 might just be a blip, when I relapsed mine was all over the place between 4 and 15, up to 20 back down to 10 then it settled. Hope it settles soon and have fun with hammy