While squirrels look furry and cute, having them living inside your home is not a welcoming sight. Along with damaging your belongings, an infected squirrel can spread diseases to humans and pets through direct and indirect contact. Taking preventive steps and handling infestations right away is crucial to your well-being and safety.
What Diseases Can Squirrels Transmit to Humans?
Squirrels can pass several diseases to both humans and pets. They can be carriers of all kinds of parasites, like mites, fleas and ticks, that can cause issues for you and your furry friends. Here are a few of the most common:
- Salmonellosis: Within 12-72 hours after being exposed to salmonella bacteria in squirrel feces, individuals can start experiencing gastrointestinal problems like abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. When severe, a salmonella infection could lead to life-threatening complications like meningitis or sepsis.
- Ringworm: If you come in direct contact with a squirrel that has ringworm, you could become infected as well. This fungal infection causes a red, circular rash that is highly contagious.
- Lyme disease: Squirrels can carry ticks that are infected by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Lyme disease can cause many different symptoms, ranging from rash and fatigue to joint and nervous system issues.
- Leptospirosis: This bacterial infection is rare but can be transferred to humans and pets. It’s transmitted through an infected animal’s urine, causing severe symptoms like high fever, muscle pain, gastrointestinal issues, vomiting and potentially liver and kidney damage.
- Rabies: While it’s relatively uncommon, squirrels can develop rabies and then pass it on to humans if they bite or scratch them. The illness can cause central nervous system symptoms and progress to brain disease and death if untreated.
Dealing With a Squirrel Infestation?
If you think there may be squirrels living in your attic, it’s important to reach out to a team of professionals who can handle everything from the trapping and removal process all the way to sanitation and cleanup. At Urban Jungle Wildlife Removal, our team of wildlife experts has what it takes to prevent or handle an infestation right away.
We’ll learn more about your specific needs and situation and develop a tailored approach to dealing with your squirrel infestation. Our team will stay on the job until all squirrels are removed from your property.
Ready to get started? Contact us today to schedule wildlife removal services.