Salmonellosis

So after writing yesterday's blog post on Mice, I decided to do a quick follow up on salmonellosis, which is one of the most common illnesses caused by mice in humans.

Salmonellosis is a bacterial food poisoning that is caused by bacteria of the genus Salmonella. Symptoms can appear 12-72 hours after ingesting the bacteria, which can be passed from mice to humans through infected stool. Basically this means that if you have a mouse infestation and 1 (or more of them have this bacteria) and they use the food in your cupboards as a bathroom and you well...hopefully you get the idea.

Generally, the illness will only last 4-7 days and most people will recover without the treatment of a doctor, however sometimes the patient can become severely dehydrated and should seek treatment at a hospital. Patients who end up in the hospital may receive I.V. fluids to treat the dehydration, and may be given medications to provide symptomatic relief.

In very severe cases, the infection may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and could continue spreading to other body sites which if left untreated, could cause death.

The people most likely to suffer from severe cases of salmonellosis include the elderly, infants and small children and anyone with a weakened or impaired immune systems.

Symptoms of salmonellosis include:

• Gastrointentinal
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Rose spots

More severe cases can sometimes be complicated by septicemia, menegitis, endocarditis and various focial lesions (such as on kidneys).

In order to prevent possibly getting salmonellosis (at least from mice), it's important you take steps to get rid of an infestation if you know you have one and if you aren't quite sure, take the steps to confirm or not. Cottage Country Pest Control can help and we can do it using environmentally responsible ways. Contact us through email or call us at 705-534-7863 to book your appointment today.

Mice

Deer Mouse

 Aren't mice cute? Maybe a little, but that doesn't mean you want them running around your home. There is a variety of small rodents found in Ontario but for today, I'll be talking about mice. Specifically deer mice and house mice.

Both these species can be found in Urban and Rural areas and often in close contact with humans.
First up: Deer Mice

Deer mice (peromyscus) are usually about 5-8 inches long and can be distinguished from common house mice by their larger eyes and two-toned bodies. Generally, a deer mouse will have a darker colour over their backs with white on their abdominals and limbs.

Their name is in reference to their agility and deer mice are known to be accomplished jumpers and runners, especially in comparison to house mice.

While mice can be cute, they are a pain, because not only will they gnaw on food storage and leave little brown "presents" for you, they can be a health problem. Deer mice are the primary reservoirs for Hantavirus and they can carry lyme disease and they can also be carries of Ehrlichiosis (tick-borne bacterial infection), Babesiosis (maleria-like parasitic disease), salmonellosis (baterial food poisoning) and bubonic plague.
Now: House Mice

House mice are considerably smaller than deer mice at only about 2 inches long. This species is the most common rodent pest in most parts of the world because they are able to adapt to changing conditions and they breed throughout the year.

They are the most domesticated and as pets, fancy or labratory mice. As labratory mice, they are one of the most important model organisms in medicine and biology and they are the most used genetically altered labratory mammal.

Their appearance can vary in colour from white to grey or light brown to black and they have short hair with very little hair on their tails and ears.

House mice are adept at thriving under a variety of conditions and can be found in and around homes and commerical structures as well as in open fields and agricultural lands. They can live anywhere in a house--they will nest in wall spaces, under floors and around cupboards or under counters.

There are diseases that house mice can carry and potentially pass along to humans. These include:

• Leptospirosis-aka. Weil's Syndrome, 7-day fever, canicola fever, canefield fever, nanukayami fever, Rat Catcher's Yellow, Fort Bragg fever, black jaundice and Pretribal fever. It is one of the most common diseases transmitted from animals to people, however it is a relatively rare bacterial infection in humans. The infection is commonly transmitted to humans by allowing water that has been contaminated by animal urine to come in contact with unhealed breaks in the skin, eyes or with the mucous membranes.
• Murine typhus-aka. endemic fever. This is a form of typhus
• Rickettsialpox- This is an illness caused by a bacteria of Rickettsia
• Tularemia-aka. Pahvant valley plague, rabbit fever, deer fly fever and Ohara's fever- this is a serious infectious disease caused by bacterium Francisella Tularensis.
• Lymphocytic choriomengitis- this is a rodent-borne viral infectious disease the presents as aseptic meningitis, ensephalitis or meningencephalitis.
• Salonellosis- bacterial food poisoning, infection with or disease caused by bacteria of the genus Salmonella typically marked by gastroenteritis but often complicated by septicemia, meningitis, endocarditis, and various focal lesions (as in the kidneys) when food is contaminated with infected rodent feces.
• Bubonic plague.

 Signs of a mouse infestation

• Live sightings (obvious right?)
• Droppings
• Tracks/footprints
• Gnaw marks
• Rub marks
• Nests
• Damaged goods such as food

If you find evidence that you have a mouse infestation and you want them gone, give Cottage Country Pest Control a call at 705-534-7863 or email us to book an appointment. We have environmentally (and people) friendly ways of handling all your pest problems.

Pesticides

Today, we're going to take a break from talking about creepy crawlies and give you some information about pesticides.

In Canada, the use of pesticides is regulated by Health Canada under the Pest Control Products Act, and are among the most heavily regulated substances in Canada.

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency is the branch within Health Canada that administers the Act on behalf of the Minister of Health.

Did you know it's a criminal offense to bring pesticides into Canada that were purchased in another country? It's also (obviously) illegal to use pesticides in Canada that were purchased in another country. Any pesticide that is not regulated by Health Canada is illegal to use. Ontario also has legislation that prohibits the sale or use of many pesticides unless you are a licensed pest control person.

General Information

According to Health Canada, a pesticide is "any product, device, organism, substance or thing that is manufactured, represented, sold or used as a means for directly or indirectly controlling, preventing, destroying, mitigating, attracting or repelling any pest".

So, by following that definition, pesticides include:

• Herbicides-used against plants
• Insecticides-used against bugs
• Fungicides & antimicrobacterial agents-used against fungus and other micro organisms
• Material & wood preservatives
• Animal & insect repellents
• Insect & rodent-controlling devices: such as mosquito zappers and mouse traps
• Algicides-used to control algae in pools and spas

Why are Pesticides Necessary?

If pests are not properly managed, they can affect the quality of life in many ways. One easy example of this is termites. If left alone, termites will cause structural damage to homes and other buildings.

Pests, while sometimes benerficial, can represent a threat to public health and the environment, so sometimes pesticides are necessary.

In addition to regulating pesticides, Health Canada also promotes and encourages the use of many pesticide-free methods (which Cottage Country Pest Control fully supports) for controlling pests by using strategies such as:

Answer the question: Do I really have a pest problem?

Understand pest behaviour

Modify your physical environment to make it less attractive to pests; and

Modify your physical environment to altogether repel the pest
*please note, the previous strategies are verbatim from the Health Canada website*

If you choose to use pesticides (without calling a professional), it is very important that you follow all labels, warnings and directions and ALWAYS use them according to regulations. Should you decide to hire a professional who is reputable, such as CCPC, who is willing to discuss all your options and concerns with you in order to rid your home of pests.

When it comes down to it, using pesticides can be a solution to ridding your home from an infestation. However, it's important to know that there are other options available these days before automatically turning to the use of pesticides.

Cottage Country Pest Control has environmentally responsible solutions to solving your pest problem, that are not harmful to you, your family or your pets.




Quick Note: If you are interested in reading the whole Pest Control Products Act, you can find it online here.

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Carpenter Ants: Treatment

You cannot get rid of an infestation simply by killing the visible ants because up to 90% of the colony doesn't even leave the nest. The only to fully treat a carpenter ant infestation is to find the nest and treat it, which Cottage Country Pest Control can do using the IPM approach.

If a carpenter ant infestation treated quickly, carpenter ants are rarely responsible for any serious structural damage to houses and buildings. However, these ants could cause serious damage if they continue undiscovered for an extended period. That's why it really is a good idea to contact a pest control professional such as Cottage Country Pest Control in the event of an infestation. It is advisable to seek professional help in containing a carpenter ant infestations, as incorrect procedures may allow the colony to grow again when surviving members begin to nest again.

Preventing an  infestation (whether or not you've had one before) can be done by following some steps:

• Seal all cracks on the home's exterior including utility service entrances.
• Dry up leaks outside and inside the home and repair or replace any moisture-damaged wood.
• Chip stumps in the yard, ensuring that the wood debris is mulched or located far away from the home.
• Similarly, locate firewood piles away from the home, so that they do not touch the home or garage wall.
• Trim tree branches so that they do not touch the home, roof or attic.
• Maintain a clearance of six inches between wood siding and the soil to make sure that the siding does not "wick" moisture from the ground and provide ants another route into the home.

If you have any questions or concerns or to book an appointment please contact us.

And We're Back! With Bats!

After taking some time off, we are back with a brand new post all about bats and what we can do if you have them.

Bats

Bats will soon be starting to return and that means it's time to start bat proofing for the Spring and Summer.

Did you know that there are 8 species of bats in Ontario, but only 2 species are commonly found in homes? These 2 species are the big brown bat(Eptesicus fuscus) and the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus).

Both these bats will hibernate in places such as caves and old mines, but they can also be found in attics and during the hot summer months they can also be found behind shutters, under porch overhangs and other cool dark spaces.

Bats are nocturnal, so you likely won't see them during the day. They also have poor vision and rely on echolocation to catch their prey.

Their prey consists of live insects that they will catch while flying and at night they can consume very large amounts of insects.

If you think you have bats in your home it's important to know how to handle their removal. Bat droppings (or guano) are linked to several health concerns. Guano can cause a persistent and strong odor and old droppings carry the potential to harbor histoplasmosis, which is an infection that occurs from breathing in the spores of the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. Bat guano can often be found where the bats are roosting such as attics and under roof peaks or outside lights where they will sit at night.


So what can Cottage Country Pest Control do for you?

We can come in and bat proof, which is the best and most permanent way of eliminating a bat colony from your home. To do this, sealing all the openings where they can enter is very important. Little brown bats only need a 1 cm hole to enter, so we can locate and seal these holes. We also ensure that all existing guano is removed and that the area is disinfected.

Having bats around isn't always so bad, you just don't want them in your house. So we also offer seasoned bat houses for sale. Bat houses are great to have around because bats will be attracted to them and will be more than happy to hang out in one. The benefit for you? It means there will be bats around in the summer to take care of those pesky mosquitoes and other insects and they won't be in your house!

Call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863 today or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com to book your appointment!