Rat Urine: More Dangerous Than Rat Bites?
When you see a rat in your home, it’s a good idea to try to avoid their bite. Some rats carry diseases, like rabies, and it’s important that you stay away from rats as best you can to avoid any risk of serious infection.
But rats are also very scared of humans, and the chance of them carrying diseases – like rabies – is slim. Rat bites may lead to infections, but those infections can generally be treated with generic antibiotics.
The problem is that staying away from rat bites isn’t enough. You also need to avoid rat urine, and unfortunately it’s not uncommon to come into contact with rat urine even when you don’t realize it.
The Disease of Rat Urine
Within rat urine there is a bacteria known as Leptospira, and if you come into contact with the urine in any way, you catch an infection known as Leptospirosis. Rat urine is filled with these bacteria, and the bacteria is a strong survivor. As long as there is still a bit of moisture left, the bacteria can continue to thrive. Leptospirosis causes:
- Flu like symptoms, including fever and chills.
- Headache
- Nausea
Afterward the disease actually goes away temporarily, and then comes back and causes more significant symptoms including severe vomiting, muscle aches, jaundice, abdominal pain, fatigue, and even renal and liver failure. Because of the similarities to other serious diseases, Leptospirosis can be hard to diagnose. Because it could be deadly, the difficulty of diagnosing the illness can be very dangerous.
Dogs come into contact with rat urine from licking grass or puddles where a rat has urinated. Human beings generally come into contact accidentally, from splashing water or getting a small amount of dirt in their mouths while gardening. When rats are in your home, contact with rat urine is at higher risk.
Get Rid of Your Rat Problem
Leptospirosis is a serious problem, and one that makes it harder to live with a rat infestation. If you have rats in your home, make sure you call your local Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey exterminator. At Green Pest, we service the entire Tri-State area, and are happy to provide you with $50 off of your first rodent control treatment. Contact us today to find out more.