You may think it’s been unfair of the world to label rats dirty animals. After all, people do have them as pets and those pet rats seem harmless enough in their clean indoor cages. But that cannot be said of the wild rat. Wild rats travel around in the dirt and garbage of society. They frequent sewers and dumps and have no issue rooting around in your garbage or getting grimy under your house.
Why Is Rat Extermination So Important?
These creatures get into the foulest parts of the world and come out covered in bacteria, bacteria that can be seriously harmful to humans. On the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, 11 diseases have been directly related to rats. Here are some of them:
The Plague
One of the most well-known is the plague, a disease that ran rampant during the fourteenth century. Unknown to the European people, rats were easily infected by the bacillus bacterium. This bacterium would end up killing its host. Once a rat died all the fleas that were living off of the rat’s blood would jump off of their host and find a new one, thus infecting any humans they happened to come across. Humans would suffer the same fate as the rat within a week, dying from high fever, vomiting, and swelling. The plague, caused by rats, almost destroyed entire populations, killing up to 75% of some of the city’s citizens. Even though the plague is no longer terrorizing civilization, it is still around. The CDC reports that there are about 17 cases a year of the plague and one of their prevention tips is rat extermination.
Rat Bite Fever
Rats also cause a plethora of other diseases like Rat Bite Fever. Rat Bite fever can cause the same symptoms as the flu, high fever, vomiting, muscle/joint pain, and a headache. These symptoms can prevent themselves anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks after a rat bite or scratch. Without treatment, people with rat bite fever can develop infections of the heart, brain, lungs, or other major organs. It’s just another reason why rat extermination and rat treatment services are a vital part of keeping you and your family healthy!
Salmonellosis
Salmonellosis is another disease that is directly caused by rats. Rats love to climb and explore their environment in homes to find food. If you have rats, then this means your house is their playground. At night they will creep over your floors, on your furniture, and get into your pantry. And when a rat gets into your pantry, that’s when salmonellosis can be a real threat to you! Rats and their droppings can contaminate your food with dangerous bacteria. Symptoms of Salmonellosis include diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. This disease can be extremely dangerous to anyone whose immune system is weak, like the elderly or very young children.
Rat Management Solutions
If you think you have rats, then the best thing to do is look for effective rat treatment services. Go-Forth Home Services can help with your rat extermination but does not do fumigation. Your family's health is our top priority, and we will ensure that whatever measures are taken to eliminate an infestation, we will do so safely and effectively.