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Summer Pet Care Tips
Heartworm Disease:
Heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis) are parasites transmitted by mosquitoes that can potentially be fatal to your dog or cat. Have your dog or cat tested for the presence of heartworms by your veterinarian and ask about heartworm preventatives. Treatment for this disease can be expensive and risky for your pet. Prevention is easy and inexpensive. The fact that your dog only goes outside to urinate and defecate, and the fact that your cat does not go outside at all, does not eliminate the risk of disease. Mosquitoes are everywhere.
Fleas:
Infected fleas get the plague from rodents and can infect dogs and cats and spread plague to people. Health officials are concerned that this year's plague numbers are off to a quick start. Environmental conditions have led to an increase in rodents. There's a lot of good food sources and a lot of good places for them to live. The more rodents there are, the chances are plague activity is going to be higher. Fleas thrive when the weather is warm and humid. Your pet can pick up fleas wherever an infestation exists, often in areas frequented by other dogs, cats and wildlife. Cats are particularly susceptible to plague since they like to hunt mice. Plague can jump directly from cats to people. Dogs don't usually show symptoms but can pass the disease on to people through fleas. The health department is urging people to protect their pets from plague because they're concerned more animal cases will mean a greater chance for people to become infected with the occasionally fatal disease. People and pets should avoid contact with wildlife in general, but especially with plague, ground squirrels, tree squirrels, prairie dogs, fox, coyotes, rabbits, chipmunks and other small rodents. The burrows and holes they live in should also be avoided. The best protection is to treat your pets with a flea treatment.
Ticks:
Ticks are not only an irritant and nuisance to your pet, but may transmit several debilitating diseases, such as Lyme disease, babesiosis, and ehrlichiosis. Many flea prevention/treatment products will also help with control of ticks. Owners whose dogs have substantial exposure to ticks should ask their veterinarian's advice about vaccination for Lyme disease.
Pesticides and lawn care products:
Many of these products are potentially toxic to pets. After treating lawns and outside areas, restrict pets from these areas until exposure danger has passed. Store these items where pets have no access to them.
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