They want to suck your (pets) blood!

Growing up in Colorado, I never gave much thought to fleas and ticks. Sure we had dogs, three of them. And yes, from time to time, we would all pile into the family pinto and trek up to Estes Park or Idaho Springs or someplace in the high country for some camping or hiking. But not once, never, ever, did we have to go searching for ticks under the fur when we got home. It was too cold, or too high for ticks to live, I was told. Clearly, I was given some poor information.

This is just one way to combat fleas and ticks in Colorado

Tick, Tick, Tick:

That’s because ticks DO live in Colorado. However, the risk to your dogs from ticks is much lower here in the Centennial State than it is in parts East and South of here. Don’t be fooled, though. Colorado ticks can still attach themselves to your pet and when they do, they can cause severe irritation, “hot spots” infection, and the potential for deadly disease. The most dangerous aspect to Colorado ticks is “Colorado Tick Fever”. And while rare, your pet could also be in danger of contracting “Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever” from a burrowing tick. As mentioned, these conditions are rare, but they exist, and if you don’t take precautions to protect your pet from ticks when wandering the high country, you’re simply playing russian roulette with their lives.

While Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Colorado Tick Fever isn’t as common as Lyme Disease is back East, there are still several other conditions that can develop if a tick gets ahold of your pet. Sores and hot spots can erupt in the areas where a tick has attached itself as the dog or cat attempts to scratch, lick or claw at the bug. In most cases, you can identify the presence of a tick simply by watching your pet after walks outside. If they continue to scratch or lick a specific area, take the time to check for a tick.

The Flea:

Now fleas are a completely different story in Colorado and one that presents a serious problem for your pet. Like ticks, dogs and cats will claw, scratch and lick at areas where a flea has bitten them, creating the same kind of sores and hot spots that can be prone to infection if not treated right away. The most serious danger presented by the flea, though, is Bubonic plague. Yes, the same plague that wiped out half of Europe seven centuries ago. Today, the danger to humans is much less severe than it was during the dark ages, but the danger to your pet is significant.

Just like the rats that carried the diseased fleas across the world in the 1300′s, today it’s prairie dogs, field mice and any other number of small rodents that patrol the fields and grasslands of Colorado. Make no mistake, if your pet attracts a plague-carrying flea and contracts the deadly disease, humans can contract the disease as well. Every year several cases of bubonic plague are reported, most occurring after a pet picked up the disease from a flea.

An Ounce of Prevention:

So you may be asking yourself, “What can I do to protect myself and my pet from fleas and ticks?” There are some very simple precautions you can take:

1. Both fleas and ticks live in tall grasses, so try to avoid spending time in, or passing through fields of tall grass or weeds.

2. Avoid contact with rodents such as raccoons, prairie dogs, mice, coyotes, deer and elk.

3. Keep your pet on a leash when possible. Pets love to chase after other animals, particularly the ones listed above. Keep your pet close to you when walking in large parks or in the mountains.

4. Avoid habitats where the above animals live. In most cases, you won’t be in areas heavily populated by foxes, deer or elk. However, large fields are like little mouse and prairie dog metropolises. Even if you don’t see a prairie dog, mouse or raccoon, if you see their holes, steer clear. The fleas can live in the sand in and around the entrance holes of these rodents.

5. Continuously check for ticks or flea bites after walks. If you live near an open field, you should also periodically take the time to check you pet after they’ve been outside since fleas and ticks could be as close as your backyard.

If you’re planning on spending a lot of time outdoors this summer, either as part of daily walks or a long camping weekend, you should take the time to ask your veterinarian for any medications, creams or sprays you can buy that will help ward off the blood sucking pests.

Our own veterinarians recommend Frontline flea and tick medication. The Downtown Animal Care Center doesn’t work with Frontline nor do we sell it at the clinic. Our experienced veterinarians simply believe it’s one of the more effective and affordable flea and tick medications available currently.

Whatever you choose, just make sure to take the time to regularly check your pets for fleas and ticks, have them groomed regularly and take precautions when spending time outside and you should avoid any flea or tick misery this summer.

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