Fischer Environmental

Do you have wildlife scurrying around your home? Maybe you see a raccoon here or a squirrel there? However, the problem is that as the weather gets colder, they will often try and work their way into your house; seeking shelter and food.

While they may seem harmless, these furry creatures can actually be more than just annoying. They can pose some serious risks when sharing space with humans and domestic pets. Surprised? Read on to find out the dangers posed from wildlife such as raccoons, opossums, and squirrels, and what to do to safely remove them from your property.

Raccoons

A raccoon can spread a variety of diseases that could affect your family. Some may require direct contact like a bite or a scratch, but there are others that can spread through indirect contact, so it is important to keep these animals under control. Here are a few common diseases you should know about. 

•      Leptospirosis: A bacterial infection that is spread from an infected raccoon’s droppings and urine. Humans can contract the disease if an open cut or wound comes in contact with the raccoon waste. The symptoms include fever, anemia, meningitis, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

•      Rabies: Raccoons can carry the viral infection of rabies which can be fatal for humans.  It is transmitted through a bite or scratch. Look out for signs of rabies in raccoons which include stumbling, frothing at the mouth, acting violent, and lacking fear of humans.

•      Raccoon Roundworm: Roundworm eggs can be found in the feces of raccoons and can be passed to humans through inhalation. They attack the central nervous system and can cause tiredness, loss of vision, lack of coordination, coma, and death.

•      Salmonella: Raccoons can carry this bacteria which is spread from their feces. When humans are infected, they will experience high fever, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

Opossums

An opossum is another animal that you are likely to see around the homes of you and your neighbors. For the most part, these animals will try to keep their distance from humans, but sharing the same environment means that close contact does occur. As with many other animals, an opossum can spread disease through biting or scratching, and their urine and feces can contain harmful bacteria that can have serious health consequences for people.

The diseases they can carry and transmit to humans include the same three that raccoons carry Leptospirosis, Rabies and, Salmonella. Additionally, they can transmit diseases to your domestic pets including the following:

•      Tularemia: This is a disease that can cause ulcers, glandular issues and respiratory problems.

•      Coccidiosis: Transmitted by feces, this causes diarrhea.

Squirrels

Since they are not aggressive and they avoid human contact, few people see squirrels as a threat. However, they do also present some risks. They can carry and transmit Leptospirosis, Rabies, Salmonella, Tularemia, and Lyme Disease.

•      Lyme Disease: This is spread by ticks which squirrels carry. The symptoms include inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, stiffness, and nerve pain.

Call Fischer for Safe and Thorough Wildlife Control

For safe, effective, and humane wildlife control, contact Fischer Environmental. We have more than 60 years of experience in the pest control industry, and we can provide solutions for any wildlife problem that you may be facing.

Our team can come out to assess the situation, remove animals from the home and the property, and take steps to prevent the infection of disease. If you have animals that are coming into the home, we can also take steps that will keep the animals out once they are removed.

At Fischer Environmental, we appreciate the wildlife that lives in the Louisiana area, but we also understand the need to keep these animals from spreading diseases to humans. If you believe that some of these animals are a risk to your home and family, don’t try to handle the situation yourself, play it safe and contact our experienced professionals today.