Almost every household in Nigeria has cockroaches, I may not be so sure about the wealthy homes, but I am quite certain about the normal homes around here. A lot of people have to look for alternative methods of putting these cockroaches from their homes while others just choose to live with them.
Today, I want to talk about the possibility of cockroaches having some negative effect on our dear pets, do you think this is possible? Well, I guess see will soon find out as we move on with today's topic.
[source](https://www.flickr.com/photos/dustandfog/8352665114/sizes/l/)
Cockroaches can be very annoying and most of us, do not like to see them in our homes, but the effect of cockroaches does not just end with their annoying nature, it can contaminate food, trigger allergies, cause diseases, and even bite occasionally. You may be wondering what cockroaches are, so let me give a brief description before we go any further. Cockroaches are insects that belong to the Blattodea order, they typically measure between half an inch to a full inch, and they are very good at hiding and squeezing themselves into little spaces.
Cockroaches lay eggs annoyingly too, the egg cases are typically brown, and oval-shaped, hiding behind the furniture, and other unsuspected places. The moment you find a cockroach egg lying around your home, just know there are a lot more in places you cannot even imagine.
Cockroaches don't go to places where they are uninvited, they are going to look for a food or water source. If you maintain a neat environment, by having a sealed trash can, washing plates instantly after use, and storing food properly, then cockroaches may not have a reason to visit your home.
[source](https://www.needpix.com/photo/259022/cat-and-dog-cat-dog-cute-together-kitten-close-animal-togetherness)
While roaches go about their business, they may leave your pet alone and go for other bigger options until there is a large infestation and the only available source of food happens to be your pet, they hurriedly go back there and cause harm. In the process, they may bite your pet, although this is mostly a rare case.
Apart from biting however, cockroaches also carry a large amount of bacteria like salmonella, streptococcus, and staphylococcus. Sickness can come to a pet and its owner when there is contact with an already contaminated surface. You can easily tell your pet has been bitten by a cockroach when there is an act of consistent scratching.
WHO warns that cockroaches have been known to carry intestinal diseases like diarrhea, typhoid fever, cholera, and dysentery.
If your home is kept very clean, your pet food is another reason why cockroaches may get attracted to your home. The high nutritional balance of your dog's food is very attractive to these roaches, the aroma from your pet's food can turn their plate into a feasting ground for cockroaches. To fight this, pet owners must ensure leftovers are properly discarded and food bowls are cleaned up appropriately.
Leaving the waste of your pet for a longer period around your home is another good reason why roaches would love to come around. For the storage of pet food, ensure a tight closed container to prevent the entrance of cockroaches. Cracks on the door, windows, and other visible entry areas are good points for cockroaches to come in, we must close them up to prevent the entrance of these problem-carrying insects.
Keeping the home free of cockroaches is a win for pets and their owners, so we need to adhere to basic household cleanings and call an expert to do a thorough cleaning, especially with areas we cannot cover easily with our cleaning. Other insects cause harm to our pets that we may not even be aware of, I will be exploring more of those things subsequently.
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