Can Rodents Make Us Sick?

Posted by Mosquito Squad

June 30, 2025

Do rodents pose hidden dangers around our homes?

If the mention of rodents brings to mind nuisance scenarios, like chewed wires, stolen pantry snacks, and that unsettling scratching noise in your wall, we get it. But aside from the obvious annoyance, rodents can be a far more serious concern. They carry diseases and they can transmit them to both humans and pets.

Hidden Potential Dangers – Rodents as Disease Vectors

At Mosquito Squad of St. Louis Metro East, we’re known for fighting mosquitoes and ticks , but rodents are another outdoor pest that pose significant health risks. Therefore, we believe they deserve to be outed among area home and business owners alike.

Mice and rats are notorious carriers of disease. Whether through their droppings, urine, saliva, or bites, they can transmit a variety of illnesses to people.

Some of the most dangerous rodent diseases include:

Rat-bite fever
Salmonellosis
Leptospirosis
Hantavirus

Are Rodents Worse in the Summer?

Perhaps most of your rodent run-ins have happened in fall and winter when they try sneaking inside for warmth. However, summer can be equally problematic. As temperatures increase, they become more active and breed rapidly. Warmer weather might also mean more food availability for rodents, like outdoor grills, garbage receptacles, and compost bins. A spike in food sources around your home could become an ideal rodent habitat, with a booming population within your favorite outdoor spaces.

Additional summertime activities, like construction and landscaping might displace rodents, pushing them towards your home for shelter and sustenance.

Can Rodents Make My Pet Sick?

Rodents can absolutely make your pets sick! They are susceptible to many of the same rodent-transmitted diseases that affect humans. As a matter of fact, our pets might be even more prone to rodent illnesses, due to their proximity to potential rodent hideouts in your yard – and due to the fact that some pets might have a rodent prey drive.

If they catch a diseased rodent, or encounter rodent waste, your pet could contract:

Toxoplasmosis
Leptospirosis
Fleas – which carry their own potential rodent disease transmissions, including cat scratch fever and tapeworm!

Knowing About Rodent Diseases is Half the Battle

The second half of the battle is controlling rodents around your home or business. If you live in Eastern Missouri or Western Illinois , Mosquito Squad of St. Louis Metro East can help! In addition to mosquito control, tick control, and myriad outdoor pest control services, we also offer highly effective, year-round rodent control and monitoring!