At the first sight of a raccoon issue, most homeowners race to find a fix before their property takes any damage. But for pet owners, the risk of a raccoon infestation is bigger than breakage. By taking from your pet’s plate, spreading bacteria, and causing late-night ruckus worthy of a noise complaint, raccoons can cause a lot of trouble for dogs, cats, and other household animals.
General Concern
Nuisance wildlife aren’t only annoying to homeowners; they can drive pets up the wall as well. Because raccoons are desperate to get their hands on food and water, they’ll often take shares from your pet’s supply. Any food or water left out for your animal is fair game for nearby raccoons, which means your dog, cat, or other domesticated pet could end up going without if the issue goes unnoticed.
Raccoons are nocturnal and known to scratch and scurry all throughout the night. The noise alone is enough to pull your pet from its slumber, but the smell of a raccoon can really drive them wild. All of these disturbances will put your pet on high alert and stop them from having a sound night of sleep.
Health Issues
Raccoons are a big disruption for not only the happiness of your animal, but also the heath. Even if you think your pet can outrun or take on a raccoon with no problem, you can’t protect them from the unpredictable behavior of a scared wild animal. While routine vaccinations can protect your pet from most of what raccoons carry, you should understand the risk of just one bite or scratch. Some of the top health concerns that raccoons pose to your pet include:
- Rabies – Detection of rabies is incredibly high in raccoons. And, as a result, domesticated cats without vaccination are the household animal most infected by it.
- Roundworm – While roundworm isn’t necessarily rare, it can cause major health issues. The waste left behind by raccoons can carry the parasite that leads to roundworm, which means your curious animal could easily come in contact with it.
- Distemper – Similar to rabies, raccoons almost always bring the threat of distemper. If you aren’t up to date with your pup’s distemper booster, your animal could be at serious risk.
Protect Your Pets With Critter Control®
At Critter Control® of Tampa, our licensed wildlife technicians strive to keep every animal safe. If you’re concerned about a seemingly sick raccoon infecting your animals, contact us for immediate assistance. Using safe, eco-friendly practices, we can humanely handle raccoons and relocate them to a natural habitat that can support their environmental needs. To learn more about the effects that raccoons can have on your pets and everyone under your roof, call us today at 813-948-0870.
