Zoonotic diseases in squirrels

[Snicker Bar]

This is a great article DF, and a very good topic! In fact, I’ve been nightmaring about these vermin and the potential threats they are bringing me here in MS. My husband and I are literally at wits end about the mice and rats. I guess technically, WE are the invaders; since our house and barn are way out in the middle of a pasture, next to the woods. But still, I have to wonder how others control the vermin without killing their pets?!? It’s no joke how serious it’s becoming!! I’m embarrassed to even post the the number of creatures I see running in the barn when I turn on the light (and yes! I have THREE barn cats!) The cats helped at first, but the sheer volume of rodents is way too many!! And since the house is just a stone throw away, they’ve discovered the porch. I’ve sealed the squirrel room up as best I know how, but they still come and try and chew their way in. I see them hanging on the wire, running around, just looking for a way to come in and steal a booball. Just thee days ago, I found a brand new fan for their room (placed on outside) with the cord chewed in two. I could bring everyone that lives outside in at night I suppose, but they just love this room. Teenie and Leah (the two Flyers) haven’t lived in a cage since they were babies. It would be cruel to lock them up now. Flying in our house sadly isn’t an option .
Every night we have to pick up the (outdoor) dog food bowls ; saw them grabbing a bite of food right under their noses!! And then, guess where they store and eat the food?? Under the hood of our trucks... And for dessert, they eat the wires to the tune of many hundreds of dollars!!

Its crazy!! Sorry DF; didn’t mean to hijack and get on a rat rant lol!! But seriously, I need to post a new thread when I have more time and ask , what can we do?? If we put out poison, I’ll kill my pets and other wildlife. And, personally, as gross as they are, the thought of the way that stuff slowly does it’s work.... Not and option. Traps?? I could set a hundred; and in a week a hundred more would come. Remove the food? We are doing that ... Feed is in cans with lids. The cats have a feeder , but they don’t dare venture into their little feed room (apparently they are also intelligent). The outdoor squirrel room gets daily debri from Dandies, Doodles, Miracle, and the Flyers.. But seriously; I keep that habitat wayyy cleaner than some in my human family keep their own bedrooms!!!

So back to the original topic: The Plague...
I hope it doesn’t come here !!!!

[Diggie's Friend]

No need all the questions you have can be answered on this thread, just start with post #1 .

Your region isn't one that has any incidence of this bacterial infection.

Location, being within the range of where this bacteria is known to exist, and most importantly, proximity and near to actual physical contact Even then it doesn't mean you will be infected, for it the fleas that carry the virus that are the issue. It is moreover a matter of engaging in risky activity of near to actual physical contact in areas where prior breakouts have occurred, that is risky. '

In our area there are more than a few. The closest Santa Monica Mtn. where there are hiking trails. and the other LA Crest. Both areas at different times have had breakouts. The break outs are handled by authorities spraying the entrance of the burrows of Calif. ground squirrels, not harming the squirrels.

For this disease, being where you are this isn't a concern.

That said we all know rats carry disease, hanta for one. Being exposed to inhaling dried powdered feces is the is an issue there.

[Diggie's Friend]

I was down in Torrance with my hubby while trying to rescue the squirrel at the park; in this part of LA County we saw no encampments on the streets, yet as my hubby has related other areas in LA there are encampments and where sanitation is lacking there is a serious problem with flea borne disease from rats, specifically Typhus, another flea borne bacteria. This article explains that so far no human to human contact has been observed. A It is in dense populated areas of people and specifically rats increase significantly in numbers from feeding on garbage that has not been removed. This is not the countryside where populations are much lower.

https://www.outbreakobservatory.org/...in-los-angeles

[Diggie's Friend]

In rural areas the problem of keeping rat and mice populations down without harming wildlife is not easy to do. One means of doing so is to entirely deprive them of food sources, which save for secured food bins, and relying your farm cats to dispatch them, helps, but isn't 100 %. Bates of course aren't the answer, for even one newer source that is toxic to cats and dogs, is lethal to rodents.

In years where wild foods for the rats results in a high increase in their numbers, save for trapping them to humanely euthanize them, there isn't much more than one could do to reduce their numbers. Growing up on his family's farm, where the grain storage was outdated, my hubby told me of one year rats got into the granary and their numbers skyrocketed; the battle that ensued was like unto a one sided version of the wild, wild west. Today with much modernized farming practices, when care is taken to secure storage units, they don't get in.

Plugging all the cracks from the outside of your home to the inside can help keep your squirrels safe. Once we had a rat get into our home, via a tiny opening between the wall and the fireplace when we removed the trim to remodel. Finally I put some masonry caulk and the rat was shut out of our home.

To keep rats and mice out of outside pet cages, an outer cage surround that you can enter, that houses an inner cage, using the smallest rodent wire fabric for both, is all I know of that won't result in bites happening to pets.

[Chirps]

Have you guys ever hard of Joseph Carter the Mink Man? He raises and trains mink to hunt rats, similar to ferreting in the UK. The beauty of the mink is they can go where the rats hide. Not sure where he lives (I think Utah) or what he charges, but if the rat problem is getting that bad I suspect he and anyone else who is learning "minkenry" from his Youtube videos will be in great demand.

[Diggie's Friend]

CDC update and current information on prevention of what is a rare occuring but potentially deadly disease. Though known as, "the plague", since the development antibiotics, this disease has not posed a plague level threat in humans, in which presently infections are very rare and damage and death prevented when antibiotics are given early.

In the west where this bacteria is found in the soil, it continues to decimate wild rodent populations in the Western US. It also has impacted the wild populations of black footed ferrets which are now endanged.

When visiting the State and National Parks of the West this season, take care to follow the guidelines of the CDC for the safety of both your human and pet family members.

https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1103/upload...cInfoDoc-2.pdf

[Diggie's Friend]

CDC Links with additional information on Zoonotic Diseases:

https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/diseases/direct.html

https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/diseases/indirect.html

[Diggie's Friend]

A lesser know zoonotic disease found in rats, farm animals, and wild species of mammals.

Merck Manual quote:

Leptospirosis, a zoonosis occurring in many domestic and wild animals, may cause inapparent illness or serious, even fatal disease in humans. Human infections are rare in the US.

Leptospira are maintained in nature through chronic renal infection of carrier animals—commonly rats, dogs, cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and pigs. These animals can shed leptospires in their urine for years. Dogs, cattle, pigs, mice, and rats are probably common sources of human infection.

An article on Leptospirosis notes that it was found in a group of breeder raised Southern Flying Squirrels imported to Japan. Although factual, this doesn't imply that all Southern Flying squirrels have this disease, as that just isn't the case. And though rare to humans in the US.; it is wise to review what the symptoms of this disease are in humans, pets, and wild mammals.

https://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/me...spirosis-P.pdf

An infection of this disease can be treated with AB in both animals and humans.

How it's transmitted

Leptospirosis is spread through the urine of infected animals, such as squirrels, and can be found in puddles or wet areas where they urinate.

This disease is commonly found in flood waters.

https://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/pets/index.html

[Diggie's Friend]

'Baylisascariasis' commonly known as: Raccoon Roundworm

Lifecycle of Raccoon Roundworm https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/baylisascariasis/index.html

Raccoons are known to dig in the soil to eat various worms. Should they consume this worm or its eggs, they can become infected with this endo parasite. Wild rats also may carry this same parasitic disease of which the eggs produced by this worm. Likewise rats can become infected with this same endoparasite. It has also been documented in tree squirrels. The symptoms are neurological, presenting with ataxia, as some have describe it as if the squirrel had become drunk from eating fermented fruit; yet that isn't the cause. Most sadly, in tree squirrels, by the time it presents with this symptom, it is too late to treat the squirrel, having reached the brain it becomes terminal.

For this reason, if you find raccoons visiting your yard and evidence of their, "latrines", it is needful to remove the feces using care not to become contaminated yourself. This webpage explains how to safely dispose of feces of raccoons.

By way of prevention, blocking access to food sources that include bird and squirrel feeders is needful where raccoons are found, as not to attract raccoons.

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID...neBrochure.pdf

[Diggie's Friend]

Rabies in tree squirrels has been a topic of much interest and concern; yet little been posted of the data on rabies infection being confirmed in tree squirrels. According to the below data chart; from 1979 to 2010, a total of (31) cases of rabies in the Eastern Gray Squirrel sadly were confirmed. (see link to data chart below)

Although there are no known cases of humans being infected from a bite of a tree squirrel found to be infected with rabies; moreover for reason of their lacking sufficient virulence in their saliva to infect humans, as carnivores and carnivorous omnivore predator species when infected with rabies can; they are all the same not immune to it.

And though true rabies is rare in tree squirrels, and chipmunks; veterinary findings over many decades have confirmed that the northern ssp. of Eastern Gray squirrel has found the highest numbers of rabies infections of all the N.A. tree squirrel species.

Groundhogs (Marmota Monax) having the highest incidence and concentration of rabies in the Mid Atlantic region.

In addition:

Rabies is a virus that is usually transferred through bites, although if the animal or person has a scratch or wound, the saliva of the infected animal can enter the blood stream or mucous membranes, such as eyes, nose or mouth. Rabies can be transferred from the mother to her young via breast milk, and also through urine.

Data chart of rabies occurrences for various species of (Lagomorphs and rodents)

Also, US map of the concentrations of rabies in the US. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5763497/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/article...3497/table/T1/