Roof Rat Bites and Treatment

Roof Rat Bites and Treatment

Roof rats are shy and usually run from people. Bites tend to happen when someone grabs a rat, corners one in a garage or attic, or reaches toward a trap that still holds a live animal. Leave live rats alone, keep children and pets away from them, and wear thick gloves when you handle traps. Germs can also pass through contact with rat droppings and urine, not only through bites.

Roof rats have a long history with plague, because the fleas they carried helped spread it through Europe and Asia centuries ago. Plague is rare in the United States today and occurs mainly in the rural West, but roof rats can still carry other germs.

The illness most linked to the bite itself is rat bite fever. In the United States it is usually caused by a bacterium called Streptobacillus moniliformis. Symptoms often begin 3 to 10 days after the bite, sometimes once the wound has already closed and seems fine. Look for fever, chills, headache, vomiting and aching muscles or joints. A few days into the fever, a rash may show up, commonly on the palms and soles, and a few joints may turn swollen and sore. Rat bite fever responds to antibiotics but can turn serious without them, so anyone with these symptoms after a rat bite or scratch should see a doctor right away and mention the rat.

First Aid for a Rat Bite, and Other Rat Risks

A rat bite usually leaves one or more small puncture wounds, sometimes with bleeding and swelling. Because rat bites can carry bacteria, every bite deserves medical attention, even one that looks minor.

• Wash the wound with soap and warm running water for several minutes.
• Apply an antiseptic and a clean bandage.
• See a doctor promptly. They may prescribe antibiotics and check whether you need a tetanus shot.

Bites are not the main way rats affect health. Other risks include:

• Leptospirosis, a bacterial infection spread through rat urine in water or soil. Dogs can catch it too, and a vaccine is available, so ask your vet.
• Food contamination from droppings and urine, which can spread Salmonella.
• Rat mites and fleas, which can bite people once rats die or are removed from an attic.

Clean droppings safely. Don’t sweep or vacuum them, since that can stir up contaminated dust. Wear rubber or plastic gloves, spray droppings and nesting material with a disinfectant or a bleach solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water, let it soak about 5 minutes, then wipe up with paper towels and bag it for the trash. Wash your hands afterward.

See a doctor for fever, headache, muscle aches or red eyes after rat exposure, and mention the contact. For keeping rats out, see how to get rid of roof rats.