Wildlife Diseases
Potential wildlife diseases are an important consideration when dealing with wildlife on your property. These diseases can have a huge effect on your health, as well as the health of your family members, customers, or any other individuals who come in contact with your home or building. Additionally, many emerging infectious diseases among humans first stem from animal hosts. Because of this, it’s important that you manage potential wildlife diseases to protect your property.
Common Wildlife Diseases
Rabies
Fatal once symptoms are displayed, this disease is a big concern for those that come in contact with mammals and the animals they care for. Rabies can change the demeanor of even the friendliest pet. Attacking the spinal system and brain, rabies causes inflammation until death occurs. It is transferred through saliva, usually when an infected animal bites another. Although there are vaccines to prevent rabies, one should still stay wary of all wild animals, especially of ones acting strangely, because rabies causes hostility. If you believe there is a rabid animal in your animal, call your Wildlife X Team to safely remove it.
Canine Distemper
Although called Canine Distemper, this highly contagious disease affects more than just dogs. It can infect raccoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes, and animals in the family Mustelidae (ie. weasels, badgers, otters, etc.). There is a phase during the virus which creates symptoms similar to rabies. This makes diagnosis more difficult. Although the fatality rate of Canine Distemper is less than rabies, surviving animals usually develop irreversible neurological damage. Distemper spreads through saliva like rabies but is also carried through urine, feces, and especially respiratory secretions.
Mange
Mange is a serious health issue affecting domestic and wildlife animals. The most common, Sarcoptic Mange, is caused by mites burrowing into the outer layer of the skin. When this happens, animals infected begin to lose hair/fur, develop thicker, wrinkling skin, and grow foul-smelling scabs. Transmission occurs when animals come in direct contact with a mite-infested creature. The disease is zoonotic, meaning it is transmittable to humans. In order for you or your animals to avoid developing mange, do not come in close contact with wild animals.
Avoiding Wildlife Diseases
Wildlife X Team can help balance the concern for these diseases with consideration for animal welfare and conservation. We can handle your pest and wildlife issues in a healthy, safe, and humane way, ensuring your property is disease and infection-free. For more information on diseases, visit the CDC's page on Wildlife Handling.
