You might be unintentionally hosting a living space for these critters, and they are not the awesome heroes like Rocket from “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Not only do they bring family and friends, but often also set up communal sites to do their business. Raccoon latrines are a real thing and yes, they are gross!
Far from just a nuisance and source of pungent odor, raccoon latrines pose dangers because raccoons are the primary host of Baylisascaris procyonis, a roundworm that can be harmful to people as well as other animals including dogs. One raccoon roundworm can produce more than 100,000 eggs a day. Infection happens by (unintentionally) ingesting eggs – while this more likely to occur in children or others who are more likely to put contaminated fingers, dirt or other objects in their mouth by mistake, it can happen to anyone.
The signs and symptoms, as outlined by the CDC, usually take 1 to 4 weeks incubation time and can include any of the following:
- Nausea
- Liver enlargement
- Blindness
- Coma
- Tiredness
- Loss of coordination
- Loss of muscle control
- Lack of attention to people and surroundings
If you do find a raccoon latrine in your home, business or outbuilding, proper removal, destruction of feces and clean-up of the site will reduce risk for exposure and possible infection. This clean-up requires extreme caution.
Don’t let these masked bandits and their poop ruin your property and put you at risk. We have the proper personal protective equipment and training for this unpleasant job. In addition to site clean-up, we work to remove any odors and porous materials affected by the latrines. Bio-One is ready to help and we’re just a phone call away!
