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NickA
Hyperactive Member
United Kingdom
1512 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Dec 2005 : 15:43:22
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Take a bow Andy
The Citizen
RAT CATCHER SPOTS A MAN'S DEADLY ILLNESS
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09:30 - 03 December 2005
A Rat catcher may have saved a farmer's life when he spotted a potentially fatal infection.
When Andrew Beddoes looked at a shivering Rupert Hyett, he noticed his eyes had turned yellow - classic signs that he had developed Weil's disease which is carried in rat's urine. "It was just lucky that Andrew was involved in trying to get rid of the rats," said Mr Hyett, 52, who runs a small arable farm at Hasfield, near Tewkesbury.
"When I caught it, I was out working and Andrew just happened to come along and see me. That was the first day that I had it really badly.
"He noticed I was not well. I just thought it was a fever but it got worse the next day."
Mr Beddoes, 47, who runs his own vermin control firm, AB Complete, feared Mr Hyett had developed leptospirosis, which is known as Weil's disease when jaundice occurs. It can be fatal. "I was convinced we were on top of the rats," he said.
"I went out to see him and he was sat in his vehicle and could not do anything to get warm.
"He was convulsing and shivering - he had yellow under his eyes. I took him home, I thought he had leptospirosis."
The next day, said Mr Beddoes, a doctor gave Mr Hyett antibiotics, but he returned and he was given a blood test, which confirmed leptospirosis.
"If it had not been detected, he could be in hospital with kidney and liver failure," said Mr Beddoes, from Tirley.
"He was within six or seven days of being seriously ill in hospital. I have never seen a case of this before in 25 years."
The bacterial infection is notifiable but transfer between humans is extremely rare.
Mr Hyett is still taking antibiotics and is starting to feel much better.
"It's just as well Andrew spotted it," he said. "I'm starting to feel better now."
Prevention for protection |
Edited by - NickA on 04 Dec 2005 15:44:55
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Northerner
Senior Member
United Kingdom
109 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2005 : 16:29:21
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| Good on yer, sport. |
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Fett
Senior Member
United Kingdom
143 Posts |
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Fenn Man
Hyperactive Member
Ireland
880 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2005 : 17:33:52
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 GREAT! [img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/Trap_Collector/grinning-smiley-003.gif[/img]
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pestech
Senior Member
United Kingdom
169 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2005 : 17:53:42
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| well done that man |
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ben
Senior Member
United Kingdom
202 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2005 : 23:07:14
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well done mate.
you learn as you go |
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Editor
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
173 Posts |
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massmurderer
Member
United Kingdom
82 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2005 : 16:39:47
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| Good to be appreciated,not more so by the farmer. |
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listing84
New Member
Jamaica
10 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2007 : 11:47:28
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| moderated |
Edited by - Iain on 24 Dec 2007 15:21:15 |
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The Spotlight Kid
Moderator
1474 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2007 : 18:26:57
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| Well spotted Dr Beddoes. Any ideas how he came into contact with it just for the record Andy? Were the rats in the house or was there a water/damp conection somewhere? Could be useful for all of us as it's a pretty rare occurence thankfully. |
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andyb
Senior Member
United Kingdom
485 Posts |
Posted - 30 Dec 2007 : 13:25:43
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The chap is a beef farmer, at the time the cattle feed was stored on the floor of some barns, a small brook runs alongside and then under one of the barns, the rat infestaion was along the bank of the stream. The farmer was in contact with the food stuffs, gates and equipment daily most of which had been traversed by dear old ratty.
ANDY B
www.abcomplete.co.uk |
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Ratcatcher
