Are rats dangerous to cats, dogs, or other pets?
You got yourself a pet, whether it is cat, dog, rabbit, parrot etc, you are enthusiastic and you will do anything that is necessary to keep it safe as well as sound. Rats may transmit at least six serious diseases to the pets through different ways. Even if these transmissible diseases may not be always fatal, they may carry around some serious risk for the dog. It is the right thing to avoid the contact between the dogs and the rats and to be extra careful when the interaction take place.
Rabbit fever or Tularemia is gotten by eating the effected rats or when the pet drinks the water that has been infected by the rat. The dogs can be vectors of this sickness and they may pass it to the humans by interaction with their feces or through an open wound. Tularemia can be fatal when it is not treated and the antibiotics have to be administered faster to stop the post infection problems.
The rats’ bites can lead to the diseases like the rat bite fever. The rat urine can spread the leptospirosis and this can lead to kidney and liver damage. It may also be gotten through inhalation or handling of the scat. The complications may include liver and renal failure together with the cardiovascular problems. Lymphocytic choriomeningitis or LCMV is the viral infection diseases and it can be transmitted through the urine and the saliva of the rats.
There are diseases that can be transmitted directly by the rats. The Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome is the viral disease which is transmitted by rat. The disease can be spread in one of three ways. It can be through inhaling of the dust, through contaminated rat droppings or urine and the direct contact of the urine and feces form the rat. Sometime it may be caused by the bite of the rats. Leptospirosis is the bacterial disease which may be transmitted by coming in the contact with the infected water when you kayak, wade or swim or drink the contaminated water. The rat bite fever is the disease which can be transmitted with the bite or scratch or by contact with the dead rat. Salmonellos is the result of consuming water or the food that was contaminated by the rat feces bacteria that can lead to the problem.
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