Fairfield-Echo.com

Accidents can happen even to the cautious. One disaster that's all too common in a multipet household is a biting incident between a predatory animal (cat or dog) and a prey one (bird, hamster, rabbit). A bite is a genuine medical emergency, even if the pet who has been bitten seems fine afterward.

Dogs and cats have bacteria in their mouths that can develop into a deadly infection in a bird or other prey animal.

For many of these, a prompt trip to a veterinarian and a course of antibiotics will mean the difference between life and death. Nights, weekends -- no matter when it happens -- a bitten bird or rabbit needs help, fast.

Never assume your dog or cat won't bite your rabbit or bird. The prey-predator wiring can be very difficult to short-circuit. Keep these pets safely apart at all times.