Do not talk about ticks to Charlie Bonham. The resident of Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle no longer knows which saint to vow to put an end to their presence. Her daughter was bitten twice. Her spouse and Mrs. Bonham’s father were also bitten.
If her child and her lover did not contract Lyme disease, but her grandfather was not so lucky.
“He developed the disease two years later. He is not 100% cured even if he has been treated. He still has joint pain, “says Ms. Bonham.
She remembers the precautions she had to take when her 10-year-old daughter discovered, about two years ago, a tick hanging from her navel. She had just returned from playing outside near the house.
“We knew it was a tick, because we had seen it for several years on our animals. I removed it with an eyelash clip and destroyed it. We did not bring the tick to the CLSC as we do today. My daughter had the target redness, 24 hours later, around her belly button, “says the mother.
Her pediatrician reassured her by saying that there were no Lyme disease ticks in the area, which is no longer the case today. Nevertheless, on the advice of the doctor, she took the temperature of her child four times a day for three weeks.
“The doctor advised me to take her to the hospital in case of a fever,” said Mrs. Bonham.
A year later, her daughter was again stung at school this time. One staff member took him off the tick last ear.
“People here are used to ticks, they know how to remove them,” says his mother.
Ms. Bonham’s spouse has also been stung in the meantime and has developed symptoms related to the disease. A doctor gave her a test, as did her daughter because she had been bitten twice. The results confirmed the absence of disease in both cases.
Ticks in the house
Living in the countryside near a wooded area, the small family must deal with the presence of ticks in the house.
“We had cats lying in the children’s beds. There were ticks. They had to inspect their beds every night, “she said.
Cats have since left the house. However, the two dogs of the family are still receiving treatment to avoid the presence of these parasites. Preventive care ranges from $ 300 to $ 400 each year.
“We do not have a choice. When ticks enter the house, they are so small that they can not be seen. If the animal rubs on any fabric and touches the fabric or sits, the tick is found on our pants, “she confides.
The small family undertook to clean its ground by removing the low branches and brushwood where the ticks can cling. This initiative has borne fruit.
“It has been noticed that dogs come back with much less ticks. Instead of four or five ticks at a time, it’s now one or two, “explains the main stakeholder.
Does she think about moving away from the ticks? Especially since the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec confirmed in early March the parasites carriers of Lyme disease in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle.
“We’ve always lived in the countryside. Moving where there is no wood, no. On the other hand, when the dogs leave [die], there will be no more animals. For now, it is a surveillance both inside and outside that we must do to avoid ticks, “she notes.
The routine for the family of Charlie Bonham
Rub his clothes with his hands before entering the house.
Shake her hair and have her head inspected.
Wash clothing immediately.
Close the doors of the rooms to avoid the dogs lying on the beds.
Holding your hair inside a cap when walking through the woods. Wear pants with long socks, boots and a long-sleeved sweater.
