At some point in your life, you or someone you know has had the unpleasant encounter with a rodent who has made its way into a home uninvited over the winter. What you may not realize, however, is that rodents can be much more than a nuisance. You may only be concerned about a rodent problem because of the noises they make that might keep you up at night. But rodents, such as rats and mice are associated with a many number of health risks and dangers. In fact, rats and mice are known to spread more than 35 diseases. These diseases can be spread to humans directly, through handling of live or dead rodents, through contact with rodent feces, urine, or saliva, and through rodent bites. Diseases carried by rodents can also be spread to humans indirectly, through fleas, ticks, or mites that have fed on an infected rodent. The white footed deer mouse is the leading cause of the spread of Lyme’s Disease as the mouse is the host for the disease and the deer tick is the one that can spread it to your family or pets.

Rodent droppings can trigger allergies and transmit food borne illness such as salmonella, and as mice are capable of dropping up to 25,000 fecal pellets each year, an estimated 70 times each day – prevention and prompt removal in case of an infestation is key.

Rodents travel mostly by scent and feel. Mice and rats will leave urine trails as they move through your home so they can easily find their way to and from nesting sites. These urine trails can be on your kitchen counters, inside your utensil drawers and over the tops of your clean dishes. Accidental contact with this urine is likely to happen and illness could be the result.

Some of the most common diseases associated with rodents: Hantavirus, lymphocytic choriomeningitis, tularemia, and plague.

All County Pest Control can offer complete inspection and treatment programs utilizing traps, baits and monitoring devices.  Our Home Protection Plan is the best pest protection for you, your family and your home.