Diseases Carried by Groundhogs
Of all the rodents, groundhogs are most likely to have rabies. Rabid groundhogs behave erratically, foam at the mouth, and are much less fearful of humans than healthy woodchucks, The viral diseases is transmitted via bite or scratch, so any encounters with aggressive groundhogs resulting in injury should be followed up with a visit to a medical professional.
Additionally, though rare, groundhogs can carry tularemia. Symptoms of this disease include fever, chills, headache, and diarrhea. Woodchucks can also carry groundhog ticks, which spread Lyme disease to humans.
Prevention
Since most cases of groundhog disease transmission involve the pests biting or scratching humans, the best way to avoid infection is to never approach woodchucks. This includes groundhog carcasses. Additionally, because the pests are protective of their burrows, property owners should not disturb entrance holes. At the first sign of groundhog activity, contact the wildlife control experts at Critter Control to remove the pests safely and prevent them from possibly spreading diseases.