Foxes may be cute and cuddley and a part of the UK's natural wildlife
backdrop but having them on your property can lead to health issues
and cause damage to your property. Here are a few ways in which foxes
could be damanging your propety.
Having a fox in your garden can play havoc the fox or foxes can damage
your lawns. The foxes are drawn to gardens and lawns because of the
invertebrate turf pests which live on grassy patches. Foxes can also
dig for food and may end up digging up flower patches vegetable
patches or may even bury things themselves in your garden or flower
beds.
With Foxes there is a slight risk of disease
It is important to remember to keep the level of threat of foxes in
perspective but it is always important to keep an eye on potential
hazards or issues that may be present based on living near foxes.
A Fox can carry a number of parasites as well as diseases which may
effect the health of common pets and people.
Since foxes are also a member of the canine family foxes can often
carry contagious diseases which could affect the health of pet dogs.
Toxocariasis is the most common disease that foxes could carry which
might in turn be trasmitted to a human. Toxocariasis is caused by a
parasitic roundworm found in in the fox called toxocara canis.
Microscopic eggs are present in the faeces of any infected animals
like the fox. These eggs have thick sticky shells which means that
they can remain infective in the soil for two to four years after the
faeces have disappeared. The sticky shell helps eggs to adhere to
fingers or clothing. The way in which humans can become infected would
be by accidentally swallowing the infective Toxocara eggs. Babies and
toddlers are most at risk because of this because they put dirty
things in their mouth as well as toys and fingers and might pick up
eggs which have been in the soil. Records show that around 100 new
cases of Toxocariasis are diagnosed each year. Once swallowed Toxocara
eggs release larvae into the intestine. The larvae travel through the
body until they die which could take several years.
The symptoms of toxocariasis are often unpleasant and can be difficult
to treat and get rid of. The symptoms can include stomach upset and
pain headache sore throat wheezing and listlessness. In some rare
cases the larvae reach the eyes which can in turn cause sight problems
and in some cases blindness. It is important to clean up after
domestic cats and dogs as they are are prone to a form of this
disease.
If you notice fox faeces you should clean it up using a poop scoop and
bag as soon as possible and deposit it in a safe and secure bin. This
is so as not to allow sufficient time for any roundworm eggs to
incubate.
Another risk is weil's disease also known as Leptospirosis.
Foxes are also susceptible to Weil's disease. This can be a
potentially life threatening condition and can also be passed on to
pets and humans via contact with their urine. Fleas and ticks are
carried by most foxes.
Rabies Can also be a risk. Thankfully Britain is currently rabies-free
but if you are in a country where rabies occurs foxes can contract
this and could pass on the disease.
If you have a fox in your garden where you keep small pets like
rabbits, birds and guinea pigs and even kittens it is important to
remember that foxes will hunt and kill these animals given a chance
and you should make sure all animals are indoors or secure with
electric fencing, or metal wire rather than chicken wire which does
not work as well. Foxes will kill more than they need to eat and may
come back days later for the uneaten corpses
Foxes may also overturn bins or rip open plastic rubbish bags causing
them to spill the contents Other issues for foxes include, Foxes
spraying their scent and foxes stealing food from bird tables.
Foxes also make nocturnal screams and barking which can cause a lot of
disturbance.These fox sounds can at times be very loud and distressing
and are often described as having an 'unearthly' timbre.
If you have a problem with foxes on your property and you need
fox control or in
other areas such as
fox removal london you should call in an expert to help you with your fox issues.
