Summer, Summer, Summer!

"Summer, summer, summer! It turns me upside down!", goes my favorite Car's single, and as the Grand Valley trades in its tan and grey hues for shades of green, I'd like talk about some unwanted creatures who can cause harm to Fido and Fluffy.

Recent seasonal shifts have proven favorable to the proliferation of blood sucking fleas and ticks and we want to protect our pets from these parasites.  Flea and tick bites can cause illness along with making their victim's skin "crawl."    Many of you have already heard on our local news about "rabbit fever" and the warnings being issued by the health department.  Tularemia is the scientific name for "rabbit fever", but not only rabbits carry the disease. It is important to know of its zoonotic classification which means we can catch it from the animals we love!  Your dogs and cats are susceptible to Tularemia from infected wildlife through flea and tick bites or by gnawing on remains of an infected rabbit, mouse, squirrel, deer, and so on. In April our first reported Tularemia case of 2016 was found in the Redlands, so be sure to ask our friendly staff, myself, or Dr. Bechtel about ways to combat fleas and ticks from infesting your pet! We strive to provide options that will best suit your pet's risks and lifestyle. 

Now to finish the tune swirling through my head, "summer, summer, summer, it's like a merry go round!"  Enjoy the magic!