Backyard Critter Guide: How to avoid diseases from animals

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The days are warmer which means more time for cleaning your garage or working in the garden. As you clean out that shed, or work on that weeding, be prepared for animals you may encounter at home and in your yard. Here is your local guide to help prevent some of the diseases that are spread between animals and humans.

Deer mice and hantavirus

Not all mice carry disease, but exposure to one type–deer mice–can lead to hantavirus, a rare but deadly disease. Hantavirus spreads when deer mouse droppings and saliva that contain the virus get into the air and then people breathe it in. Symptoms start off like the flu – fever, headaches, fatigue, muscle aches, upset stomach and can develop into difficulty breathing as the lungs fill with fluid.

Minimize exposure to deer mice and their nests to avoid possible exposure to hantavirus. Mice nest in warm, dark, enclosed spaces. They often nest close to food in barns, outbuildings, and sheds and inside in attics, garages, kitchen cabinets, and behind appliances. Inspect your property and if you see bite marks, nests, or droppings, those are signs that there are rodents around. Not sure if your critter is a deer mouse? Look at its belly! Deer mice have a white underbelly and a tail that’s two colors – half brown and half white. They are typically small and round, with gray to brown fur on its back.

To manage any type of mouse infestation, make sure to properly protect yourself before removing the nest and droppings and disinfecting the area.

• Wear gloves and long sleeves, and have a trash bag near you.
• Prepare a disinfectant solution that can kill hantavirus: commercial disinfectant containing phenol such as Lysol® or a mixture that is 1 part bleach and 9 parts water.
• Wet down the rodent materials, place the materials in the trash bag, and wipe the area with paper towels and more disinfectant.
• Do not sweep or vacuum, because this will put the droppings in the air and increase chances of breathing in any hantavirus.

Managing multiple nests and dead mice is best left to a pest control professional.

To prevent mice from coming back, seal holes bigger than a dime. Pay attention to corners, gaps under doors, and your dryer vent intake. It helps to keep a tidy yard with short grass. Also, put away food overnight. Yes, this includes pet food!

CDC provides more information  on cleaning up rodent infestations.

Rabbits and tularemia

Before you befriend bunnies like Snow White, it’s good to know that rabbits in this area can carry tularemia. Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, is a rare disease caused by bacteria that can lead to fever, skin ulcers, and enlarged lymph nodes. People can get infected by breathing in contaminated dust or aerosols, as well as through contact with skin, eyes, and mouth.

Thankfully, you don’t need to outright avoid fluffy rabbits when you are out and about. You just need to take a few precautions to protect yourself.

• Baby rabbit nests: Be careful to notice rabbit nests while mowing the lawn, gardening, and at parks and playgrounds. If you see a nest, it’s best to leave it alone. Even though baby rabbits are exceedingly cute, it is in your interest and the rabbits’ to leave the nest as is. Chances are, the bunnies are not abandoned. Mother rabbits usually forage for most of the day and visit the nest early in the morning and late at night.
• If you know you are sharing space with wild rabbits, mow around the nest and garden with a high quality, well-fitting mask.
• Importantly, do not handle sick or dead animals.

Bats and rabies

Bats have a bad reputation, but they are mostly harmless and beneficial. After all, we rely on bats to pollinate the agave plant to make natural sweetener and tequila! The most important thing to remember about bats is DO NOT TOUCH! People can get rabies from a bite or scratch by an infected bat. Rabies is almost always fatal if untreated but is also preventable with proper medical care.

Bats can accidentally fly indoors through an open door or window. They might roost in attics, chimneys, and other small spaces.

To make your building less homey to bats, install mesh screens on windows and doors you open, and seal up holes and cracks. If you notice a bat on the outside, leave it be.

If you see one inside your home, here’s what to do:

• First, evacuate people from the same room as the bat.
• Provide an escape path for the bat by opening a window or door and turn off lights and ceiling fans in the room where the bat is to help the bat orient itself.
• Then, close the bat into the room and give it time to find its way out. Resist the heroic urge to attack the bat. If you touch a bat, bites can be too small to see with the naked eye, so you will need to seek urgent medical care to determine whether you need a rabies shot.

For more information on zoonotic diseases and what you can do to protect yourself and your family visit here

Originally posted May 13, 2024