“Look what the dogs brought it the house!” An urgent text from my daughter with attached photo revealed a large river rat lying on our floor. Quite lifeless, its pitifully ugly body did not reflect a peaceful death.
“Get it off the floor!” I rapidly text my daughter, I was in no mood to face the stench when I got home from the clinic, “Then wash your hands!” Work done? Not quite yet.
When I arrived home the kids were quick to boast their brave handling of a dead animal. Their quick-thinking method of nutria (large rat) removal? “We never touched it.” The kids had discarded the large rodent-filled bag in the kitchen garbage can. Great.
Who was I to criticize their scientific method? Honestly, other than throwing the darn thing outside in the trashcan, I would not know how to properly dis pose of our dead little friend. It was time for me to consult my “go to”: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
I was not surprised to find that rodents carry a multitude of diseases . However, I never considered the dead carcass a vector for leptospirosis, Hanta Virus, and salmonella (among others).
For future reference: The CDC recommends soaking the rodent and surrounding area in a bleach solution for about five minutes. Guidelines suggest placing the animal in a tightly sealed bag then throwing the bag into a covered trash can that is regularly emptied (not in the kitchen!). Lesson learned.